Safely Stashed

Cannabis and Kids in the House

By Barbara Verde “Mommy, those gummies in your purse were YUMMY!” are words you never want to hear as a parent who enjoys cannabis for health and/or recreation.

Some might wag a finger, saying, “Parents shouldn’t use cannabis!” to which the appropriate response is, “Ring— ring….the 1980s are calling and want their cannabis stigma back!!”

The health benefits of cannabis are well-documented as well as its safety as a recreational option. Parents are people, too, who deserve plant-based wellness and responsible recreation options.

So how do you keep the kids out of your stash?

First off, it’s helpful to note that this problem isn’t unique to cannabis. There are countless items in a household that need to be stowed well out of the way of curious hands and mouths …. laundry pods, anyone? Also on the short list are: alcohol, cleaning supplies, and medications (both prescription and over the counter).

Local mom, Autumn Shelton, co-founder of Autumn Brands and mom of two, a 5-year-old and a 19-month-old, advises that all Autumn Brands products are certified child-resistant and “my husband, Abe and I, always keep our cannabis high up and out of reach.”

Education is also important according to Autumn, adding, “We also talk to our children about cannabis and how it’s important for them to understand it is only for adults.”

In California, all legal cannabis is required to be in childresistant packaging—sometimes so child-resistant that even adults have a hard time opening it! Ask any dispensary owner and they will tell you about all the “child-resistant” packaging they have needed to help adults open.

Beyond that, you can secure your stash in a locking pouch or container, keep it in a place that would be very hard for children to get to, like Autumn and her husband Abe, and educate your children just like you would other substances found in the home that are not for children to consume.

Jessica Gonzalez, well-known mom and Instagram cannabis advocate (@themommyjane) also has a great stash-safety tip for all stripes of cannabis consumers: “it’s always best to keep edibles separate from other foods, even if there aren’t children in the house!”

If you’d like to keep your stash locked up in style, there are some very sleek options on the market that are a far cry from the tie-dyed, cannabis leaf laden bags of yesteryear.

Stashlogix makes a wide variety of bags, including my favorite, Highland 3.0, with an integrated lock and activated carbon fabric lining which absorbs unwanted odors.

Highland 3.0 by Stashlogix

For bags that pop with color, check out Canny.us. Their canny mid-zip in bright pink is super cute.

Canny Mid-zip in bright pink from Canny.us

And if you’d like some help talking to your kids in a common sense, age-appropriate way about cannabis, check out the book, What’s Growing in Grandma’s Garden

Between keeping your stash well-stashed and educating your kids, you can enjoy plant-based goodness while ensuring your little ones are safe and sound.

Barbara Verde is co-creator of SBVerde.com—a guide to cannabis on the Central Coast.