How to talk to your family about Brittney Griner

The Haymaker is Leafly Senior Editor Bruce Barcott’s opinion column on cannabis politics and culture.

It’s holiday season, and that means you’ll be interacting with family members you may have successfully avoided for the past eleven months. Why not dazzle her with some weed talk?

Why not wow your grandma and uncles with a little risqué weed talk?

I’m serious. The last thing any of us needs is a kitchen counter debate about Joe Biden and the price of gas. I’ll let you in on a secret: your liberal, bead-clasping grandma and MAGA uncle get a little thrill rolling out the cannabis talk. It’s daring, it’s cool, and you’re giving them information that they can later lay down like an ace-high straight in front of their stupid friends.

This year you have a hot topic of conversation: Brittney Griner.

Related

Brittney Griner released from Russian prison in prisoner exchange

The WNBA superstar’s release yesterday – in a prisoner swap that sent a notorious arms dealer to Russia – made global headlines. Your relatives will surely have heard of you. They can start with an insulting reference to “that girl” (Griner is a grown 32-year-old adult) or some sort of taunting anti-wake nonsense.

Ignore the bait. Treat it like a fleeting whiff of gas and let it pass unnoticed. Level up with a bright scene designer instead.

“Oh! I’m so glad you raised her,” you can say. “This is such a fascinating case.”

Welcome to my Ted Talk

You can go anywhere from here. My choice would be this: “Isn’t it crazy to think of a global superpower trading in a murderous arms dealer for a pro athlete who happens to be around with a vape pen?”

“I’m breaking federal law, Uncle Truck. Should I go to prison for ten years?”

At this point, your uncle with the big truck might reply, “She knew the rules. She broke the law. She smuggled drugs into Russia.”

That’s your cue to slowly and dramatically pull your very own cannabis vape pen out of your pocket and display it for all to see.

“I know the rules, Uncle Truck. I’m breaking federal laws right now. Should I go to prison for ten years?”

Emphasize your point by pressing the vape. Offer Uncle Truck a train.

Related

Anatomy of a vape pen

You have the information you want

“Here’s what I think,” you continue. “I think we’ve been told so many lies about marijuana for so many years that we tend to assume that anyone enjoying it must be a bad person. But I’ve learned that’s just not true. Millions of people use cannabis for a million different reasons. Some people use it to relieve chronic pain because it is safer and more effective than opioids. Some people use it to help them sleep or to relieve their anxiety. Some people use it to relax and laugh and have fun, and that’s okay too.”

“Nearly half of all Americans now live in a state that has legalized marijuana. The regulation really seems to be working and we don’t have to arrest people for possessing a substance that is far less harmful than alcohol.”

Dealing with the “gateway” question

Grandma wants to speak. She is concerned that marijuana is a “gateway drug” that leads to the use of more harmful substances. And she worries about “the message we’re sending to kids” by legalizing weed.

Respect the questioner. “Those are legitimate concerns,” you say. “That’s why researchers have studied them quite extensively. They found that marijuana is actually not a “gateway drug.” It doesn’t lead a person to seek ever stronger doses of anything. Think about your own experiences. Did the stimulation from coffee make you look for crystal meth?”

“The message we are sending to children is we have learned more about cannabis and what we have learned is that it is suitable for some adults but not for children. We have age limits for many substances and activities. We don’t let six-year-olds drive the family car. Until you are 21 years old, we keep alcohol taboo. It is the responsibility of every parent to talk to their children about these rules and why they are important. In fact, we now have years of data showing that underage marijuana use has not increased in states that are legalized and regulated.”

Related

Toolkit: How to talk to children about cannabis

That’s how it is to live legally

Uncle Truck wants to bring it back to Brittney Griner. “Stupid is so stupid,” he says. “And this girl was stupid if she thought she could get away with bringing her weed to Russia.”

“Oh Uncle Truck,” you say, and giggle. “Bless your heart.” Gently remind him that Ms. Griner is not a girl, but a 32-year-old professional athlete, 6’2″ and 205 pounds who could fold him in half if she wanted to.

“Here’s the thing about legal marijuana,” you may say. “When you live in a legal state, it’s easy to forget that other states and nations still treat weed like heroin. I often keep a vape pen and some edibles in my toiletry kit and sometimes I forget they’re there. I assume that’s what happened to Brittney Griner. She lived in Arizona, which is a legal state, and many professional athletes use cannabis in moderate doses to sleep or to help their bodies recover.”

Ask the group this fun question: “Who here got stopped at TSA for a bottle of water in their carry-on?” Show your hands. “How about a pocket knife, scissors, or a Leatherman tool?” (Raise an eyebrow, Uncle.) “That’s how it is for an adult cannabis user residing in a legal state. It’s an honest mistake. It happens. Brittney Griner’s misfortune was that it happened at Moscow Airport.”

Related

Brittney Griner Isn’t Alone: ​​Here’s Why Pro Athletes Are Using Cannabis

Use your power to speak freely

Get up to help clear up dinner. “Well, as for me,” you can say, “I’m going to enjoy a hit of my little friend here before dessert. And I invite any adult who wants to try it to join me on the porch.”

If you have the privilege of speaking freely about cannabis, do so. There are millions of Americans who cannot do this because they risk losing their jobs, being incarcerated, or having their children taken away from the state.

Openness is an antidote to stigma and shame. Talking comfortably about cannabis is a powerful tool to shatter the false assumptions that support cruel laws like the one that landed Brittney Griner in a Russian prison. The same laws also exist in the United States. Changing them requires openness and changing voices — and that process begins with a simple conversation around the dinner table.