Wow! Even reading about this let’s me know how my thinking of cannabis is still shaped by the conditioning of America. Growing up cannabis was a deviant substance for deviant people. While I do not see it as deviant my preteens daughters do not know I smoke cannabis.
So when I learned of the new children’s book “Asa’s Medicine” I was and am still conflicted. I am conflicted, understanding I too, am still growing and learning about cannabis. Thus my perceptions and thoughts are evolving and changing.
Asa’s Medicine is a children’s book about a child’s medicinal marijuana experience and normalizing it for children. The author, Ashely-Wynn Grimes is also a nurse. Ms. Grimes is also the head/founder of Cannabis Nursing Solutions.
Ms. Grimes informed High Times. As a practicing nurse for more than a decade, (she) decided to dedicate herself to cannabis when she looked around and saw that people of color and medical professionals were underrepresented in the world of medical cannabis. Ms. Grimes is native to Baltimore City where Cannabis Nursing Solutions operates. Her work was key in the passage of HB-0617 which allows for children medically cleared to receive medicinal marijuana as part of their educational treatment.
However, Ms. Grimes realized that parents and students may not be comfortable with the social stigma of cannabis use. In addition, they may possibly be ridiculed for it. Enter the idea for Ana’s Medicine. High Times reports “While working on the guidelines, (Ms. Grimes was) concerned about the social impact of allowing children to consume on campus,” she explained.
Ms. Grimes went on to share “I had so many questions, like, okay, what about the kid who sits next to the kid who may be taking medical cannabis?” she elaborated. “What was the nurse interaction going to be like for that child; what role do they take, and how do parents talk to kids about medical cannabis when they didn’t make the choice to have that be a part of their child’s life? This story literally was formed from all the questions I had myself, even thinking about my own children.” I have not read this book yet. I am going to order it though. The idea of it is profound and I want to see how it approaches the subject for children.
