How Shannon DeGrooms heals with weed

For many people, cannabis is about healing. Some turn to the plant for possible relief from their migraines or back pain; for others it is for mental health. And for Shannon DeGrooms, co-founder and executive director of This is Jane Project, cannabis was her path to healing and key to dealing with her PTSD caused by being held at gunpoint. “I was against cannabis. I often say that I had to put a gun to my head to try cannabis because that’s what happened,” DeGrooms shared.

After the incident, she finally found a reputable cannabis doctor in LA – and it opened up a whole world of healing that changed her life. “I was no longer afraid to leave the house. I was able to sleep through the night with minimal nightmares. It has given me a new perspective on life.”

With her experience of LGBTQ activism in LA and back home in New Jersey, DeGrooms knew she needed to shift her advocacy to cannabis and start the This is Jane Project.

That is the mission of Jane Project

“The revolution is trauma-informed.”

The This is Jane Project is a 501c3 queer-owned nonprofit that provides a safe space for women and non-binary trauma survivors to “share their stories, receive mental health resources, compassionate cannabis resources, and community.” They do this through a variety of programs, such as puff and paint sessions and compassionate cannabis donation events.

Taking steps toward healing is different for everyone, but acknowledging it is the beginning. DeGrooms said, “Sometimes it’s hard for people to understand. Many people don’t acknowledge that they are traumatized for various reasons, but we don’t understand the complexities. There’s Big-T and Little-T trauma – it’s not all a gun to your head like I’ve experienced. We’re just trying to demystify these conversations, make space for them, and reach out to people like me who just saw it [cannabis] as a drug”.

Sophia Wellington

Sophia Wellington is a UC Irvine graduate with a degree in International Studies with a focus on Issues and Institutions. She loves learning about world cultures, politics, history, films and music and begins her post-college career immersing herself in the cannabis marketing industry.