How to Introduce a Cannacurious Grandparent to Weed

Do you have someone in your life who is interested in using cannabis but doesn’t know where to start? We see this often with older populations who are looking for relief and don’t know where to start. The stigma around cannabis has been around for a long time and many grandparents and older communities grew up with more anti-cannabis messaging than following generations. If you have a grandparent or anyone in your life who is curious about using cannabis but doesn’t know where to start, here’s a guide about how to introduce a grandparent to weed.

March 29, 2024

Assess their initial feelings about cannabis

Before you decide where to go with your conversations, try to get a good idea of your grandparent’s stance on cannabis. This will guide exactly how much education you need to offer before you dive in. If your grandparent is very open to using cannabis and just wants some guidance on where to start, you will likely take a different approach from a grandparent who is desperate for relief but is weary about cannabis.

Regardless of your grandparent’s situation, be sure to not condescend or make them feel bad about their stance on cannabis. Do not force them to use something that they are not comfortable with. This guide is not to help you force someone who is not comfortable with the plant to use cannabis—it’s to help empower your loved ones to make educated decisions for their health.

Educate, educate, educate

The first key to guide someone toward cannabis is to provide education. Know your audience and how they learn best. For some people, they want to read and learn on their own. In that case, you can find some quality educational materials you can pass along for your loved one to read in their spare time. Offer to discuss it later and make yourself available to answer any questions.

Others may want more guidance. In this case, just talk to them about the plant and ask what they already know about it. It’s important to not make strong sweeping claims, such as insinuating that cannabis can heal or cure anything—after all, nobody should be making sweeping claims like that. Cannabis has the potential to help with certain conditions and needs, but it’s not a cure-all for anything.

Accompany them on their first dispensary visit

Entering a dispensary for the first time can be intimidating for anyone—especially those who may still subscribe to some of the stigma surrounding cannabis use. They’ll likely notice that most dispensaries, including our Bellingham pot shop and Spokane weed stores are filled with customers from all walks of life. Students, athletes, parents, grandparents, and more all shop at dispensaries.

Don’t rush the first visit. Think about the first time you stepped in a dispensary. It can be overwhelming! There is so much to look at and take in, and it’s important to not make your grandparent or parent feel rushed or like they don’t have time to make an informed decision.

You can also let your budtender know that you’re shopping with a grandparent or parent who has never been in a dispensary before. Most budtenders have experienced this exact interaction many times and can provide assistance where needed and answer any questions your grandparent may have. Sometimes hearing it from an expert can make shoppers feel more at ease.

Try different products and manage expectations

It can be difficult to explain to a cannacurious person that they may need to try several products before finding what works best for them. This is the critical part that can make or break someone’s experience with cannabis. If they don’t like a certain product, try to remind them that cannabis products come in so many different shapes, sizes, and with a huge variety of effects.

Purchasing a few different types of products can be a good idea so your grandparent or parent can dabble in different ways. Just be sure to go over different consumption methods and onset times so there are no surprises.

Start low and go slow

It is crucial for people who haven’t used cannabis much or at all to start low and go slow. Don’t ever start someone who has never used cannabis on 10 mg of edibles, for example, as they might have a terrible time and never want to try again. Instead, start low and go slow with each product they try.

Try one puff of a joint or one small bite of a low-dose edible and assess the reaction from there.

Honor their limits and decisions

You may be excited that a cannacurious parent or grandparent is looking into using weed. This can be a fun time to bond or an opportunity to provide relief to a loved one. Just remember that the decision is theirs, alone.

If they decide that they don’t actually want to try cannabis, honor that decision. Offer to be there if they change their mind and want support, but don’t try to force it on them. And if they have a negative experience and don’t want to use cannabis again, you have to respect that decision as well. You shouldn’t try to force a grown adult to change their mind about whether they choose to use cannabis.

Stock up with Piece of Mind Cannabis

Whether you are going to help a cannacurious loved one make a first purchase or just need some green for the weekend, Piece of Mind Cannabis has you covered.

Stop by and say high today!

Piece of Mind Cannabis is a medical marijuana and recreational Cannabis dispensary with locations in North Spokane, South Spokane, Bellingham, and Pullman, Washington.