Julie Aitcheson
A 2020 report by Oasis Intelligence showed that 16 percent of moms have been inclined to purchase cannabis during the pandemic, which is not surprising given the fact that women have been disproportionally impacted by job loss, homeschooling responsibilities, and combining caregiving with a work-from-home schedule. Despite the encouraging numbers stating that half of all adults in the US have received at least one dose of the vaccine, states like Michigan are providing ample evidence that the pandemic, and therefore pandemic-driven cannabis consumption, is not yet behind us. In fact, a recent National Retail Federation survey predicts that Mother’s Day spending will hit a record high of $28.1 billion dollars this year, up $1.4 billion from 2020. On average, consumers plan to spend $16 more than they planned to spend last year when most of the country was in lockdown.
Even before the pandemic, the industry was seeing notable growth in cannabis purchases by mothers and businesses responded in kind, creating products specifically geared towards the consumer needs of the mom demographic. Cannabis company Mother and Clone offers a discreet line of sublingual nano-sprays that allow customers to consume a small, metered dose, then wait an hour or so and take more if needed. To ring in this year’s celebration of the matriarchs in our lives, companies such as Kyoto Botanicals are offering 20% off promotions on products like their BREATHe CBD-infused facial serum, WARM(th) Body Balm and, for the fur baby moms, low-strength bacon beef flavored CBD dog treats.
Autumn Brands’ co-founder and self-proclaimed “Canna Mom” Autumn Shelton is a vocal advocate for both her Nourishing Joint and Muscle Salve and the benefits of better sleep, reduced inflammation, and less anxiety that so many cannabis products afford to hard-working mothers just like her. “This has been an incredibly challenging time for us all,” Shelton says. “Moms have had additional stress. As a mom, the combination of cannabis and going on a run is the perfect recipe. When I come back from my run, I am present and an engaged mom ready to sit with my kids and do a puzzle.”
Cannabis is popular among many as an alternative to alcoholic beverages, and more than a few “wine moms” are switching from Clos du Bois to cannabis cocktails for their end-of-day wind-down, minus the hangover, dehydration, and extra calories. Good Stuff Beverages created a line of cannabis-infused beverages for just such occasions, using natural ingredients and light, fresh flavors like the ones found in their cannabis-infused Strawberry Hibiscus Lemonade sweetened with honey. If you’re hooked on the idea of a more traditional commemoration, Mello CBD Sea Salted Caramels are a sweet twist on the standard box of chocolates, and with 15 mg of CBD in each piece, she won’t have to bite all of them to find her favorite.
My own mom has developed a close and personal relationship with CBD gummies over the last few years, and uses them daily to help her with anxiety and sleep. She finds herself in the company of none other than Martha Stewart, who has found her way into the hemp market with her Mother’s Day Sampler of CBD gummies, with 10 mg of CBD isolate per gummy. Packaged in a linen-textured drawer box, Stewart is both on-brand and on-trend this Mother’s Day, though I’m sure for most moms opening their special day surprises, it will be the thought that counts.
