In this episode, you will meet Christine, a dental hygienist whose life changed after discovering the benefits of cannabis. She shares her experiences of being prescribed pain medications, weaning herself off, and finding immediate relief through natural remedies. Despite living in a conservative town, she now educates others on the benefits of cannabis and how it can improve your quality of life.
Table of Contents
Features
- Release Date: Monday, May 29th, 2023
- Episode Number: Season 1, Episode 18
- Special Guest: Christine Claypoole
Listen To The Episode
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Why You Will Love This Episode
In this episode, you will meet Christine, an incredible 51-year-old woman who isnโt afraid to admit that she grew up thinking of cannabis as a โdrugโ with no real value.
Due to the physical demand of working as a dental hygienist for over a decade, she ultimately developed chronic pain, leading her to turn to her doctor, who prescribed pain medication to alleviate it.
After taking the prescribed medication daily for years with little relief, she decided to wean herself off the medication and opt for natural remedies.
It wasnโt until one magical day, when Christine tried a vape pen from a friend, that she found immediate relief from her pain. She started researching cannabis and soon after obtained her medical marijuana card.
Cannabis has not only helped her chronic pain but also her anxiety, which she didnโt even know she had. Ultimately, cannabis has helped her feel better, improve her quality of life, and develop an improved relationship with her family.
While Christine is still new to discussing her cannabis use, she believes itโs important to share her story and help educate others who could also benefit from this plant.
Tune in to listen in and discover how cannabis can be an effective alternative to prescription medications for chronic pain and can improve your quality of life, just like it did for Christine.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Links & Helpful Resources
The helpful links and resources listed below will offer insight into the world of cannabis, providing knowledge and guidance if you are seeking answers on your cannabis journey.
Full Transcript
Announcer: Welcome to the Well With Cannabis Podcast, a show dedicated to telling the life-changing stories of those who live well with cannabis all while teaching you how to do the same. Meet your host, Emily Kyle, a registered dietitian nutritionist turned certified holistic cannabis practitioner. Emily changed her life for the better with the help of the cannabis plant, and now sheโs committed to helping others do the same.
Tune in each week to hear heartwarming stories and gain the knowledge you need to feel connected, inspired, and supported on your own cannabis journey. Whether youโre a new cannabis consumer or a lifetime lover, youโll benefit from these uplifting tales of real-life journeys that will show you how you, too, can live your best life well with cannabis.
Disclaimer: Hi there. Before we jump into todayโs episode, I wanted to share a note on potentially sensitive content. The episodes on the Well With Cannabis Podcast are created for adult audiences only. We will, at times, cover sensitive topics, including but not limited to suicide, abuse, mental illness, sex, drugs, alcohol, psychedelics, and the obvious use of plant medicine. Explicit language may be used occasionally. Please refrain from watching or listening to the show if youโre likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.
The information on this show is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. If any of the content on this podcast has brought up anything for you, please reach out or speak to a professional or someone you trust.
Emily: Hello, and welcome back to another episode of the Well With Cannabis Podcast. I am so excited to be here with our friend, Christine Claypool; she grew up not liking cannabis at all but has a magical story about how her mind has changed. Sheโs here to share that with you today, and Iโm super excited. Christine, thank you so much for coming on today.
Christine: Thanks for having me. Thatโs exciting.
Emily: You have a really interesting story because you said that you were very anti-cannabis, and so Iโd love to explore that a little bit with you if you feel comfortable and how you made that transition to where you are today.
Christine: Iโve thought a lot of recently; why was I so against it? Growing up, I just wasnโt ever around it, for starters. I donโt remember my family saying it was horrible, but there wasnโt alcohol in the house; there wasnโt marijuana anywhere. I assumed we were not supposed to do that. Then the โWar on Drugsโ started the month before I was born. Then going through school, theyโre just telling us how, you know, itโs a drug, and itโs going to ruin your brain.
I just thought it was horrible. The friends I hung out with, my girlfriends, they werenโt doing it a lot. I just never thought I would do it. Honestly, I judgedโฆ Looking back, I just said to my husband, โI feel so bad for like the people I judged because I thought, โOh, theyโre a pothead.โ because I didnโt know about it.โ I was okay with alcohol because it was socially acceptable.
Moving forward, when I met my husband, he told me right off the bat that he sometimes smoked weed. After our first day, I went back home to my mom, and she was like, โWell, howโd it go?โ And I said, โOh, it was really good, he was really nice, but Iโm not going to go out with him again.โ
Emily: Wow.
Christine: I know, and sheโs like, โWhat do you mean? Why, if heโs nice?โ I said, โWell, I just donโt think itโs the kind of person Iโฆ He told me that he smoked weed.โ She saidโฆ And my mom never drank, smoked, or anything. She was just the kindest person, and she says, โWell, that doesnโt make him a bad person. Why wouldnโt you go on another date with him? You canโt just judge him for that.โ
I was just like, โOh.โ I thought she would say, โOh yeah, you shouldnโt go out with him again.โ But not at all. She just said, โWell, that doesnโt mean heโs bad. I donโt think that should end it.โ Anyway, for years after that, I didnโt want to know.
Emily: Donโt ask, donโt tell.
Christine: Right. We have a small camp in the mountains over in Pennsylvania, and he and his buddies, we would all go up there, and they would literally have to walk away from the campfire so that I didnโt see. I didnโt harp on him about it; I justโฆ
Emily: Right. He was respectful.
Christine: Right, thatโs how it went for a lot of years. Iโm a dental hygienist, and I worked, I did dental hygiene for over 25 years. I did 10 years full-time. By the end of that 10 years, I was just in tons of pain and ended up on pain meds. I didnโt ever take more pain meds than were prescribed, but I was taking them at 10:00 and at 2:00. I knew when I could take another one.
That started to really scare me when I realized that clearly, I was dependent on them, even though I wasnโt taking more than prescribed. And so I weaned myself eventually after years, honestly, of thoseโฆ I weaned myself off of those just because I felt like I was doing so much damage to my body, and it wasnโt really even helping my pain.
After four hours, actually, probably after two hours, I was in pain again, and then I was counting down the next two hours until I could take something. I just hated that. And so I decided, I was going to take myself off of โem. And I did that, and then I was just in pain for several years.
Emily: Oh my gosh, Iโm so sorry.
Christine: I survived, but I took a lot of Alieve and other stuff that was probably damaging. I lived with it, but in the meantime, I take a lot of supplements and try to do anything natural that I can. They tease me because we all have our own vitamins and things. We all have different stuff, depending on the time of the year, so they think I go a little overboard anyway, and I might.
During all this research, more and more stuff about cannabis was popping up. And Iโm thinking, โWell, no, it is natural.โ, I was okay taking, I was all right with Vicodin? I kept thinking about it, but I still felt bad; I have kids and shouldnโt do that; Iโm a mom. My mom wouldnโt have done that.
So then finally, one of my cousins, who I really respect, and sheโs a successful business person, and we were all at a Steelers game, and she says, โYou want to try my vape pen?โ I had pain; my neck was hurting because weโd been walking all over and doing stuff, and I took like one hit off of that vape pen.
I remember looking at all of them, like, whatโs happening? It wasnโt the high feeling so much as I felt like the pain melt away, literally. I felt like I was going to cry because when you spend that many years in pain. I was just in shock because it wasnโt at all what I expected. You know what I mean?
I had tried, and when I say I was totally against weed, I should back up because I did a couple of times get talked into it. I think I tried it like once in high school and once in college, and thatโs when I decided it was not for me. But from those two experiences, all I remember was feeling tired. It was probably not really great marijuana. But I didnโt have pain at that time, so that wasnโt something that jumped out at me. So after I tried that pen, I was like, โOkay, I need to do more of this because this is the best Iโve felt in years.
Emily: I bet like the game was enjoyable after that. You probably had the greatest time.
Christine: I did. We had a lot of fun. I just remember thinking, โWhy have I not looked into this?โ So I went and got my card then because I felt so much better.
Emily: It is such a great safety net. Yes. It makes it feel so much more safe and legitimate, and justified.
Christine: Thatโs how I got to where Iโm at.
Emily: What did your husband say? Was he surprised? Was he excited for you?
Christine: His buddies were really shocked. Like right away, the one guy was like, โIf you had said sheโd be the firstโฆ I was the first person that they knew that got their medical card.โ He says, โSheโs the last person that ever; I wouldโve bet a million dollars that she would never do this.โ So it was funny, they were all shocked. At first, I donโt even think they believed him; they teased me.
Emily: That is great. Oh my gosh. Why?
Christine: They had to hide from me for so long, like when we would all be somewhere.
Emily: Itโs nice. You can all enjoy it together now. Itโs a pain relief and a social thing when youโre out about doing things. Iโm sure it just makes it easier for everybody in general.
Christine: Oh yeah, my husbandโs; heโs not a big drinker, and it makes it a lot more fun. Iโm not a big drinker either, but I mean, he could have none. It does make a lot more fun to go out somewhere. And obviously, the hangover aspect is, you know. Thatโs why I try to tell people whoโve never done it or have not really tried it lately, like you could go out and feel totally fine the next day. I donโt think they get it. Iโm like, โWhy wouldnโt you want to do that?โ
Emily: Now, are you sharing your cannabis journey with others and telling people how much better youโre feeling? How is that going?
Christine: No, this isโฆthis is definitely the first time Iโve ever talked to anybody ever like this.
Emily: Iโm so proud of you. Thatโs amazing. It takes a lot of bravery. Let me just give you that because when you grow up thinking that itโs bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, itโs so hard just to come out and say, โWell, Iโm doing it anyway.โ I give you so much credit; thank you for doing this with me.
Christine: It was a little bit of a debate. When you said, will you be on video or use your real name? We talked about it, and I said, โWell, why would I do it if Iโm not going to?โ I just felt like I shouldnโt be doing the podcast if I couldnโt tell my story and say who I was. We live in a very small town; I think the village has 1500 people at most, and then scattered around is the township. Itโs very small. Everyone knows each other. I have literally hundreds of relatives in Andover, where I live. That was the only reason Iโm comfortable with it now because I found out my kids knew. I didnโt think they knew. Theyโve known.
Emily: Oh, can we talk about that a little bit?
Christine: Yeah, we will. I thought it was really slick too, but Iโm not. I just know so many people; I help at the school a lot, and Iโm up there whenever they need something. We have a small business locally; weโre a custom cabinet shop, so we have clients. There was a lot for me to think about, you know? Is that something that I want to put out there? But again, I got my card, I am legal, and I havenโt felt physically as good since I started. I mean, in probably 15 or 20 years.
Emily: I mean, that is incredible.
Christine: I feel like, why wouldnโt I tell people?
Emily: Iโm so glad youโre doing it because my whole goal is that someone will listen to this on the other end and say, โI see myself in Christine, and if she can find cannabis and find such relief, I can.โ Nobody wants to live in pain. If someone can hear your wise words, say, โWow, if Christine can do it, I can do it too.โ That makes it all worth it, so thank you so much for sharing with us.
Christine: Yeah. Well, I hope. I feel like there are a lot of people that still let the stigmaโฆ
Emily: I mean, rightfully so. If you spend your whole life being told something, youโre going to believe it. I donโt ever want anyone to feel bad that they were ever not pro-cannabis because itโs just like being told that so does bad for us.
Christine: They just arenโt educated.
Emily: Right. Yes. All you need is just a little piece of an open mind and just take your time. You know, you donโt have to jump in head first if you donโt want to. I mean, even just listening to this and listening to your story, at the end of the day, itโs about feeling better. Thatโs really, thatโs all itโs about, is improved quality of life.
Christine: My husband and I were just talking about that. And I said, โEven if someone only used it at night because my sleep is so much better than it was.
Emily: See? Thatโs huge.
Christine: I didnโt ever have a terrible time sleeping, but I feel like I get more quality sleep. Even if it is not as long as I might like, itโs good quality. I think thatโs a lot of why I feel better; whether I use cannabis the next day or not, I still feel better from using it at night. I donโt know if itโs because itโs still in your system or more likely just that I slept so well, Iโm rested, so it does affect the next day for me a lot. Even if I only use it at bedtime.
Emily: I feel like it really can affect your whole wellness in the sense that you sleep better. And then, when you sleep better, and youโre not in pain, you are more active and more energetic. Youโre more likely to eat better; you have the energy and the fortitude to be able to go out and go to the farmerโs market or make yourself a meal. I feel it all just snowballs into this really, ultimately like, healthy lifestyle for a lot of people. People misjudge, but itโs happening everywhere to everyone. Do you agree?
Christine: Yeah. Oh, absolutely. I think that itโs just people are being educated. Thankfully, thatโs what happened to me; I just wasnโt educated. I go down a rabbit hole once I start on something. So as soon as I tried her vape pen, Iโm like diving, like, what are the dangers?
I have to go to a doctor because Iโm scared to get it anywhere else because just thatโs howโฆ I think that was from being raised that way. I felt like if a doctor told me it was okay, I felt better. But I also, I didnโt add, I used to smoke. This is something I want to throw out there because I keep hearing people still that arenโt quite educated enough talking about how addictive marijuana is. But I was apparently; I was addicted to the pain meds. Iโm convinced; I meanโฆ I was at least dependent physically on them in some way. But the cigarettes I was definitely addicted to. I mean, quitting smoking was the hardest thing I ever did, I think.
Emily: I smoked for five years in my twenties, and thank God I got pregnant, and it made it easier to quit because I donโt know if I ever wouldโve been able to do it by myself. Itโs very hard.
Christine: Yeah. I quit when I got pregnant the first time and then didnโt start again until my second son was two. Why, you know? Then it was full bore again, just smoking quite a bit. I know what itโs like to have to go without something that youโre truly addicted to. Both the pain meds and the cigarettes. When people say that to me, I say, โI now know.โ Because if you told me I couldnโt have any weed for this week, Iโd say, โWell, that stinks.โ
Emily: Right. Youโd be sad, of course, because you donโt want to be in pain.
Christine: Iโd say, โOkay, Iโd survive.โ I wouldnโt beโฆ And honestly, I donโt even think I would be tense. I would just wish I could have it, but okay. If you had told me that I couldnโt have a cigarette for a day, or even probably a few hours, I was a mess. You know what I mean?
Emily: Iโm so glad you said that. Itโs a perfect way because people really are afraid that it is addicting. I find that your experience is so much like my experience, where Iโll be sad without it, but like Iโm not going to go crazy. And thatโs we choose not to go without it because weโd prefer to feel better, but for anyone whoโs listening and who is afraid of it being addicted, I have never met anybody who displayed any type of behavior like being addicted to alcohol or cigarettes at all.
Christine: Well, the evidence is there. I mean, itโs there.
Emily: You know? And I mean, you could become dependent, I guess, on anything.
Christine: Anything. Food, drinks, I mean, yeah.
Emily: You know? I feel like more people need to know.
Christine: I also recently said that if your doctor gave you a supplement or, you know, and they said, โThis is all-natural, itโs going to help you,โ and they listed the things that marijuana could do for you, you know, which is this long, you know? Your pain, your anxiety, all of them. There are a couple of side effects because, with every medicine, thereโs a side effect. But if the side effect is you might have euphoria, going to feel good, you know? Music is going to sound better. Youโre going to enjoy music more, youโre going to enjoy shows more, but those are the side effects. Why wouldnโt you take it?
Emily: Absolutely. Especially with your experience with pain pills. I mean, having no side effects or minimal. There can be some side effects with cannabis, I guess, for anyone listening. I mean, dry mouth, heart racing, too much THC, panic attack, anxiety, Iโll just throw that out as a disclaimer. But if you educate yourself and you know what youโre doing, you actually wonโt even get yourself into that situation in the first place, which is perfect.
Christine: Iโve made some mistakes with dosing.
Emily: We all have. It is a natural part of the learning process.
Christine: I experiment with that when I know I donโt have to go anywhere at all that day. The other thing I try to tell people is, once you learn what youโre doing, I have to goโฆ Weโre at a lot of sports events and stuff for kids, or both my sons play sports, and I time it. Youโll learn what you can or canโt do. If I wake up and I am having painโฆ I mean, I still have pain, you know what I mean?
But itโs 100% better than it was. I have arthritis from here to here in my back and bad days. If I know I donโt have to go anywhere, then I get up, and Iโll eat a cookie or, you know.
Emily: Yeah, absolutely.
Christine: Make some weed tea or something. If I know I have to go somewhere later, I just time it, and Iโll know if I do it now by then. I donโt see why someone wouldnโt use something like that, or at leastโฆ Iโve told people to balance out with some CBD, and then you wonโt feel really high.
Emily: Absolutely. Iโm so glad weโre having this conversation because people think thereโs only high, THC high. There are so many ways to manipulate it; as you said, whether or not you have tea, you can adjust it to your mood, your preferences, and how youโre feeling that day. I think thatโs the beauty of it; unlike a pill where itโs the same and you just take your one dose, you have full control over altering anything in your cannabis regimen. When youโre educated and know how to take care of yourself, itโs such a good feeling.
Christine: Yeah. I love, like, Iโm figuring out, like, oh, this kind is going to do this and this kindโฆ If I mix the two, I like that. I like to play with it. Iโm getting a little more into it now.
Emily: Itโs exciting. Itโs really fun. Now, can we talk a little bit about your medical card experience? For anybody listening who is like, โOh, maybe I would try it if I had a card.โ How was it? Was it easy to get? Was it comfortable?
Christine: Very, it was very comfortable. I went to a Sports and Spine Institute for mine, just because I have neck and back issues, but Iโve also taken friends toโฆ Took one friend to another one and referred several to them. There are so many doctors now; if you just Google it, youโre going to find one local. There are so many conditions that it treats that Iโm convinced pretty much everybody has one of them. I mean, like, how do you not have one of those conditions? I didnโt even realize I had anxiety, and I do. I think I realized it more after I started using it. Sometimes it made it worse, the fight to use the wrong stuff or in the wrong situation maybe.
But Iโve gotten kind of past that. Now I think that itโs more helpful than anything for it. Itโs better than alcohol in so many ways, for, like I said, we talked about the hangover, but also just in general, the way I feel. Hopefully, it becomes legal in Ohio. It should be up in November. Thereโs a really good chance.
Emily: Oh, yay. Oh my gosh, yay.
Christine: That we will go, theyโre going to go, if thereโs an initiative. I think they have until May. If they donโt approve the initiative, then itโs going to go on the ballot, so weโll get to vote on it. So Iโm hoping-
Emily: I mean, so many ofโฆ I mean, people want it, I donโt know what the politicians want, but the people want it.
Christine: This will be the first time that itโs on our ballot with this wording. I mean, itโs going to allow, I think, two and a half ounces per adult and six plants. I think 12 plants per house. I didnโt read all of it, but thatโs the bases.
Emily: Can you grow with your medical card right now?
Christine: Nope. Actually, youโre not allowed to smoke, technically.
Emily: Technically. Thatโs how New York did theirs for a while as well. They would sell the flower ground and expect you to use a vaporizer, which I actually prefer a vaporizer now anyway. But when people bring it home, you canโt control what theyโre going to do with it. Just let people do their own thing; leave them alone.
Christine: I think they knew that, Iโm sure.
Emily: Yeah, itโs just that the wording and theโฆ I was talking to someone yesterday in another state, and I believe it maybe was West Virginia, and she was like, โWeโre not allowed to have edibles.โ There are just so many weird state-to-state differences; thatโs why I love to ask people because none of them really make a lot of sense. Theyโre just random in state by state. I will cross my fingers for you.
Christine: Yes. Iโm hopeful.
Emily: If youโre into herbalism and all of that, growing a cannabis plant is really magical and fun to watch. I have a feeling you would really enjoy it.
Christine: Yeah. Iโm excited that you might be able to do that. And boy, it would save money.
Emily: Oh, man, itโs the ultimate money saver. I feel like itโs very, I donโt know, very spiritual in a way, getting to grow the plant, harvest the plant, reap the benefits.
Christine: Can we do a garden? We grow and canโฆ
Emily: See? Then Itโll fit perfectly in with that lifestyle. We do the same. Thatโs how we taught our children about it, is itโs growing, itโs right next to the tomato plants, just a plant. It fits in perfectly with that lifestyle.
Christine: I didnโt want to forget the speaking of the kids.
Emily: Yes. Where I was going next. I am very interested. How old are they, and how did that go?
Christine: They are 15 and 17 boys old.
Emily: Okay, old enough to totally know what cannabis is. Okay.
Christine: Yeah, but I just likeโฆ They never asked me. Iโm not going to lie. But Iโm also not like, โHey, Iโm smoking weedโ. They never said anything. I had girlfriends that were like, โThey totally know.โ Iโm like, โNo, Iโm telling you, they donโt.โ I had, like, I would make cookies. I would leave, like, go to my aunts down the street to make cookies or anything I wanted to make.
Emily: Oh my gosh. Really?
Christine: Yeah. I bought a Magical Butter Machine and kept it there. And then I would bring the stuff home. Iโm a vegetarian, so I had vegetarian patty bags. Well, when they were empty, I would fill them with my cookies, and I would reseal them. I had stuff in the vegetable drawer for a long time, and they didnโt look in there because I knew they werenโt going to get their own vegetables when they were younger.
Emily: Thatโs just a great suggestion, though, for anybody with parents of kids.
Christine: Yeah. Well, it didnโt work, though. I mean, it did probably for a while, but when I findโฆ I forget how it came. When they finally said, โYeah, we know.โ And Iโm like, โWow.โ I was like, โHow long have you known?โ Theyโre like, โWeโve known him for a long time.โ I was like, โWhy didnโt you say anything?โ And my older son, right? Heโs like, โNobody cares.โ Literally, he was just like, โNobody cares, mom.โ I was like, โOh.โ
Emily: Aww, thatโs like the best answer, though. Itโs too sweet.
Christine: Yeah. Well, and so it made me feel a lot more comfortable. Theyโre very mature kids. I knew that they werenโt going to be upset. It wasnโt at all that I thought that they would; we are open about things normally.
Emily: And if they see their mom feeling better.
Christine: Thatโs literally, theyโve said that.
Emily: Thatโs all they care about. I mean, and thatโs even for them to notice that is amazing.
Christine: Right. No, theyโve actually said they could see a big difference after I started. Probably because when you sleep well, and youโre not in pain, and also, weed just makes you have more fun. You know what I mean? Iโm sure they noticed a difference. I just in the overall attitude and feel in the house, Iโm sure.
Emily: I mean, hearing that out of the mouths of your children has to be like the best feeling because I know, as a mom, we all feel super guilty when we start. Am I making the right choice? Am I doing the right thing? Am I being a good mom? Am I being a bad mom? Where does the line draw to have your mature older kids say, โIโm happy for you; feel better.โ That has to feel so good. And now you donโt have to hide, and they have a happy present, Mom.
For a lot of moms, cannabis can really improve the motherhood experience. Itโs hard. And if thereโs something that can make it a little bit more enjoyable and make your time with your kids more special, why wouldnโt you want that? So Iโm so glad you shared that with us. But I hope anyone, any mom listening, can be like, โWhat if I could show up as a better parent for my kids?โ Thatโs all we could ask for. Thatโs amazing.
Christine: Right? Well, and back to the pain meds. I know when I took those, I was irritated. I was irritable anytime. That was just a side effect, I guess, of the pain meds. I just felt irritable all the time, and I would freak out over nothing, which Iโm not saying I never do that still. I mean, I do sometimes. But I did it more then. And over really dumb stuff because I think that also something else marijuana has done for me is it makes me a lot more compassionate.
Emily: Oh my gosh. Yes. Iโm so glad you said that.
Christine: Have you found that?
Emily: Yes. Compassionate, empathetic, and more able to have gratitude for what I do have too. Iโm so glad you said it. Itโs such a humanizing thing. Itโs so important for people to be compassionate. If we can have something like help us with that, thatโs for the greater good of mankind.
Christine: Yeah. I thought that was a side or something that I get from that I was surprised about. I think it just makes you stop and think like weโre all the same. Everybody has a story or a problem, and you donโt know. I try to say that to the kids all the time, like, โYou donโt know those kids are going through at home.โ
Emily: Itโs so true.
Christine: They get it; they understand that. Thatโs just something, another side effect that Iโve noticed.
Emily: Itโs so good to share that, though, because anyone listening says theyโve never used cannabis is under the assumption that it makes you apathetic or that you just donโt care about anything.
Christine: Right. So the opposite for me.
Emily: Yes. I donโt even know where that stereotype came from, I guess because I donโt think youโre alone in feeling that.
Christine: Right. And, the music, how youโre saying it just makes everything moreโฆ Like, we listen to music a lot, I always have loud music on, but it makes it so much better, you know? And I know it sounds, like a hippy thing, you know? But oh, so true. Like, why not? Thereโs just a lot of different things that it does.
Emily: Absolutely. Little things. Someone was talking about yesterday how they just like to go to the beach and enjoy the sound of the waves. As you said, thereโs something that just enhances the already enjoyable things in life.
Christine: Right. Yeah. Thatโs a great way. Thatโs exactly what it does.
Emily: Without the side effects, without a hangover, without, you know. And if we can just get rid of the guilt, then weโre good to go, like, everythingโs great now.
Christine: Without the hangover, youโre talking about too? We know a lot of people that work for companies that test, so since they canโt do anything, they drink all weekend, like three days, and then Monday, theyโre a wreck, you know? Iโm like, but if they would just let them smoke weed, theyโd have a relaxed, rested employee on Monday, not a hungover one that canโt keep their eyes open.
Emily: Hopefully, any business owners or legislators listening to these wise words, it makes no sense that we treat alcohol differently. We consider adults responsible enough to handle alcohol but not responsible enough to handle cannabis. And yet here we are. Where are we going with alcohol, truly? I mean, itโs a problem for so many people.
Christine: Itโs a poison.
Emily: Iโm not saying I donโt enjoy a cocktail here and there.
Christine: Right. I do; I drink.
Emily: I donโt have an issue with alcohol at all, but probably because they have cannabis. Who knows if I drink more alcohol if I didnโt have cannabis because, for me, cannabis is a social thing too. I enjoy it when we go out. I donโt drink. Iโm more than happy to have no drinks if the kids are around. I donโt mind because I have cannabis, and Iโm good to go. And I can still get up at 6:00 AM with the baby the next day and not feel bad about it. Thatโs been a great social piece for me.
Christine: Oh, absolutely. I mean, I hope that once they come up with better testing because I think that if they could test and say, โOkay, youโre not high right now while youโre running this machine at work.โ You know what I mean? The problem now, I think, is they donโt know if you did it yesterday or you did it today.
Emily: Which is totally fair, you know, if youโre a surgeon or operating machinery, I would like to know that you are in the right space to do that. And sometimes Iโm like, how can we, like, send people to the moon, but we canโt figure this out yet?
Christine: I find it very hard to believe that they donโt have a test instant or that can detect levels, butโฆ
Emily: Exactly. Especially with science the way it is today. Weโll cross our fingers, hopefully. And hopefully, you know, new legislationโs coming for Ohio, and hopefully, weโll get Federal legalization, and we can just kiss all this nonsense goodbye, butโฆ Iโm a wishful thinker. Weโll see how that works.
Christine: I wish with you.
Emily: Thank you. So I want to be respectful of your time. This has been a great conversation. I always ask my guests the same four questions. Are you ready for them? The first one up is, what are you most proud of to date in your life?
Christie: Itโd had to be with my kids. Theyโre good students, theyโre good athletes, but just their character, theyโre good people.
Emily: Thatโs so sweet. And thatโs all you can ask for, right? I meanโฆ
Christine: I know whatever they decide to do, if they go to college or if they donโt go, I know that theyโll be successful one way or another just because theyโre good kids.
Emily: Thatโs got to be such a good feeling. My kids are younger. I have an eight and a one-year-old, but I would like to see myself in a couple of years feeling like you, where itโs like, doesnโt matter because I know theyโre good.
Christine: Right. And thatโsโฆ Theyโll do what they want. I mean, I want them just to do what makes them happy.
Emily: You are a good mom, oh. Well, moving on to number two. What would you say your life would look like today if you didnโt have cannabis?
Christine: Well, it wouldnโt be as fun at all. More pain, moreโฆ I would be more irritable and have more anxiety. I just enjoy things more, like we were just talking about; I just enjoy everything more.
Emily: Itโs like, just that quality of life aspect. It just takes it to the next level.
Christine: I also find, when someoneโs asking me, โWell, donโt you just want to lay around if youโre high?โ I said, โI get so much more done because Iโm not in pain.โ I donโt care if youโre a little high and you got to pull weeds out in the yard. Like, thatโs what Iโm doing.
Emily: So much better. Cleaning the kitchen. And thatโs a great thing for any women or mothers listening to know it is an unspoken side effect of cannabis, that cleaning and everyday mundane chores are just better. They just areโฆ
Christine: Put on some loud music and clean, and youโll have a blast.
Emily: Yes, get it done. Yes. Iโm so glad you said that because itโs so true.
Christine: My family thinks Iโm a little crazy. I always hope no neighbors come to the dork when Iโm like; Iโm dancing around and hip-hop music or something.
Emily: But how much better is that than feeling like youโre so mad and angry because youโre the one cleaning, and no one else is cleaning? I remember I used to be so resentful, and now, Iโm like, โWhatever. Iโll do it; I donโt care.โ And so thatโs just better for your whole familyโyou and everybody.
Christine: Usually, they get home from school. Iโve got loud music on, and Iโm dancing around doing something, and they laugh, whatever. Iโm sure theyโd prefer that to me beforeโฆ
Emily: they have memories of a happy mom dancing when they get home from school. What, a kid wouldnโt want that?
Christine: I feel like Iโm just more productive; Iโm happier, everything around.
Emily: Yeah. Itโs beautiful. , I feel the same way about cannabis. So hopefully, anyone listening, and theyโre like, โOh wow, look at all these secret benefits.โ I hope that they are pulling them from this conversation because there are just so many besides just the ones we talk about every day. There are these little hidden gems that make it just enjoyable.
Christine: Yeah. Things I never knew or wouldโve believed even. Beause theyโre like, โOkay, you must be high.โ If someone was telling me like all these, Iโm like, โOkay.โ Sure, itโs that great.
Emily: Iโm so, so excited that you found cannabis. And that brings us to our next question. If you could sit down with yourself 10, 20, or even 30 years ago and give yourself a little piece of cannabis advice, what would it be?
Christine: Iโd say stop being so judgy and be nice to those people. And not that I was ever mean to anyone. I just remember thinking, โWell, I wonโt ever do that.โ Now, Iโm like, โWell, that was mean.โ But here I am, probably doing it more than they are now. But get educated because that was what did it for me. I have to know; I want to know how things work, I want to know where it came from, and I got to know it all before I do something. I would tell myself to get educated and then form my opinion based on facts, not the War on Drugs. I donโt think I had the facts, and I wish I had looked into it sooner, honestly, just because I wouldโve had even more fun. I wouldโve had fewer years of pain.
For anyone whoโs listening, itโs never too late. Just start your journey, and jump down that rabbit hole. Go and enjoy it. Thereโs a lot of information out there, not as much as weโd like, but thereโs enough information to make you realize, wow, this is a real thing; it really works with our bodies. Thereโs a lot of science to back it up. There is research out there, so jump down that rabbit hole, everybody, because we never know. I think people are coming around. I feel like all the time Iโm hearing more people getting on board, at least. At least not looking at it the same as they used to.
Emily: It takes conversations like this. There are people who are going to listen to this and say, โI listened to Christine, and she felt this way, and now she feels this way, but now she lives this life that is fun, happy, and great. What if I could be Christine-โ
Christine: And I still have my moments. Donโt get me wrong. I donโt.
Emily: We all do. Absolutely. But if it helps. Life is hard, and being a human is hard. If thereโs something that can bring on some joy and relief as you go along like everybody deserves that. I hope that people can listen to your story and say, โIf Christine can do it, I can do it too.โ Because everyone deserves to be happy like you are today.
Christine: You know whatโs funny is Joe Roganโs podcast; I donโt know, do you listen to him ever?
Emily: Iโve never listened to it, but it was funny. I said to my husband, โIf Joe Rogan can have a podcast, I could have a podcast.โ Because I got kicked off of , I was like; maybe Iโll go for podcasting because theyโll be less likely to get canceled.
Christine: Yeah. He is very pro-weed, you know. He smokes it on the show all the time. Heโs always smoked it on there. I watched a lot of his podcasts because heโs got a lot of scientists and doctors on there, and heโs the same way; he goes down a rabbit hole, and he wants to know exactly everything. And why and the facts, you know. I heard multiple doctors, as well as him, talking about the benefits of marijuana. And at least how it wasnโt like the doctors that were on there would say, โNo, itโs not harmful.โ Thatโs where I got a lot of my education.
Emily: Itโs that conversation. Think about how many, like millions of people listened to that podcast and, just have that seed planted. Thatโs why Iโm so glad youโre here and weโre doing this today because hopefully someone on the other end is going to be like, โOh, maybe I should look into this.โ
Christine: Right. I hope so, because Iโฆ And hopefully itโs like I said, itโs legal soon, I hope. And I think thatโll help a lot of people that are on the fence maybe.
Emily: Of course, because none of us want to be doing something. We donโt want to feel bad for doing something. Nobody wants to feel, like theyโre breaking the law and nobody wants to feel bad. Especially, feeling bad for wanting to feel better,
Christine: Righ I think especially parents. Itโs harder, because youโre trying to be a role model.
Emily: Absolutely. And if thereโs something that makes you feel better and be a better parent, but if society found out youโd be a bad parent. How do you juggle the two? Thatโs what I hope this show will help people learn is that you can be a great mom, dancing home in your kitchen when your kids get home from school and be present and happy. Your kids at the end of the day might say like, โWow, mom, Iโm so glad you feel better.โ Nothing else better we can ask for.
Christine: I think they probably will.
Emily: I mean thatโs great. I mean, itโs better for you, itโs better for your kids, itโs better for your husband. Iโm sure itโs just-
Christine: Oh yeah, for sure. Iโm not harping on hit, well, he doesnโt have to hide, I mean. And now we do it together, itโs a bonding thing. Itโs not like we donโt sit in the house so and do it because of the kids. But weโll go outside and you knowโฆ
Emily: Itโs something you can do together. I donโt know if you notice this, but like as a wife, Iโm much less naggy or snippy or I just can let stuff go a lot. I do feel like it is an enhancement to my relationship because marriage is hard.
Christine: For sure. You do let a lot more, I think. Thereโs a lot of times, I think, โDo I want to, no, thatโs not worth it.โ You know what I mean? Iโll just keep my mouth shut, but just hard for myself-
Emily: That does come with wisdom and age, but I feel like the cannabis helps a lot. Our very last question. If you could be remembered in the cannabis space for just one single thing, what would it be?
Christine: I guess just helping people, and especially, like I said, moms or anybody really just realize the benefits that it could have in their life. I think if you could just get someone to try it for one reason, theyโre going toโฆ Theyโll end up enjoying all the other things it does too. You know what I mean? But if the only reason they tried is for pain. Great. Itโll work. Iโm actually having surgery, I hope pretty soon on my foot, and I am determined I am not going to take any pain meds. Iโm going to try RSO and I said, โLook, I might be high for a week but-โ
Emily: But youโre not going to come out feeling side effects from other medications, like, you probably feel so much better in the end.
Christine: Weโll wait and see, but thatโs my plan.
Emily: Thatโs so brave of you too, to sayโฆ
Christine: I had two kids with no pain meds. I think I can do it.
Emily: You superwoman. Superwomanโs status right there. Oh my gosh. I wish you the best of luck with surgery coming up. And I hope-
Christine: Oh thanks. Itโs not a major one.
Emily: Oh, but still, I mean, anything isโฆ But Iโm really proud of you that you feel like confident, that youโre like, โIโm going to use cannabis instead.โ I know that probably Iโll feel better at the end of your recovery, so Iโm super proud of you for that. I mean, if you need something else, you need something else. I always want to tell people like, Iโm not against, certainly not against anything that makes you feel better. Iโm always for like a you do you, I hope you feel great no matter what you do type thing. I think thatโs a perfect place to end this. Thank you so much for sharing just you story and your journey.
Christine: Thank you for having me.
Emily: Think this is such a great interview. I feel like someone on the other end is going to be listening to this, whether sheโs a mom or just a wife or a woman. Maybe sheโd be like, I can just try it like Christine, and maybe weโll see what happens. So thank you for showing us that.
Christine: Oh, just try it, just try it.
Emily: Yes. I mean, and then you could find like the rainbow at the end. You know, youโre there, youโre vibrant, youโre happy. Iโm so happy for you that you found cannabis. And thank you for sharing that with us.
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