by: Brittiany Ralls
When a person enjoys something you can see that excitement on their face! When they talk about what they care for, it’s as if you know you are about to learn things you never knew. Whether it’s a job, hobby, or someone they can be proud of, everyone has something that really does light them up inside. It sets parts of their very being on fire. Being a dad is one of those things. Time and time again I have seen fatherhood be one of those instances where the whole of someone changed for the better of someone else.
It’s a beautiful thing to witness.
Which is why I was excited to interview Mr. Vasquez (alias name used for privacy purposes) and get his take on having a conversation with your kids about cannabis. You can tell he has a passion for helping raise his children to be aware, responsible adults, while also loving cannabis and what it has allowed him to be in the process.
Growing up Mr.Vasquez used cannabis starting from the age of 14. But, he has been an official patient since 2012. Since becoming a patient he did express that he has come to understand that even as a teenager he was using cannabis medicinally. One of the first questions I ended up asking is “How honest is he with his children about his cannabis use?”.
He made no hesitations when he said, “Honesty is the best policy.”
He describes a time early on as a parent deciding that being honest was the easiest way to raise his children in an environment with cannabis around that much. Mr. Vasquez did emphasize that teaching his kids about cannabis is another way he has introduced his kids to cannabis. This approach has even allowed him to teach his kids more and more about cannabis. “My kids probably know more about an endocannabinoid system than most adults,” he said face beaming with pride. He was no stranger to giving his kids praise. Saying his kids are more compassionate and driven than he was at their ages.
Teaching his five children about an endocannabinoid system isn’t the only thing he has referenced being a hispanic male in the cannabis industry. He has also made sure to teach them about the history of cannabis and the role it has played within the history of this country. Having children ranging in age from 15-10 years old he has had some experience in dealing with all different types and ages of kids and how they may feel towards cannabis.
Mr. Vasquez did admit that he did feel that his approach of being so honest can lead to your children being even more curious into wanting to try it before having a prescription themselves or being old enough to purchase recreationally. But, he felt he had seen other situations where friends weren’t honest in their family relationships and he didn’t want that for his family. The sign of a good dad is one who is willing to learn from the mistakes of those adults around them and be willing to put in the effort it takes to make a life better than that for his kids.