For some, the holidays are a time of tradition and togetherness. For others, it’s a tinsel-covered hell on Earth. Whatever your perspective, we bet every chocolate in our advent calendar that wreaths aren’t the only green making a cameo this holiday season.
With this being the first holiday season where cannabis is legal in Canada, we thought we’d offer a guide to help navigate etiquette around cannabis during the holidays. That’s why we spoke to etiquette expert Mindy Lockard and founder and CEO of Altitude Products Krista Whitley for a five-part weediquette guide for the season.
Legalization is one thing, but in a social setting, cannabis users should gauge whether their consumption is going to offend someone or make them uncomfortable. While exposure to anything generally makes people more comfortable over time, the last thing you want is to make somebody uneasy during the holidays over a measly joint.
“If you are at a private event with cannabis-friendly guests, it is perfectly acceptable to consume cannabis at a holiday event,” Whitely says. “It helps people relax. Over Thanksgiving, many of my friends couldn’t make it through grandpa’s Trump rant or extended family’s questions about their dating life without a little cannabis involved.”
As with alcohol, however, it’s important to not overindulge and get sloppy. A sloppy stoner will not change people’s minds about the substance. And if you’re going to consume, step outside and away from guests as you would if you were smoking tobacco. But gauge your audience. Lockard shares similar sentiments, adding that if you’re going to bring pot to the party, you should make sure there’s enough to share. Just like mom used to say.
This article was originally published by Lift & Co.