by Kelli Lynn Grey
I developed the idea for The Seed in November 2019. Then the holidays hit, and I lost momentum. During this period, some things also changed. One of those things is the platform I use for newsletters. I’m making the shift from Constant Contact to Substack, as I feel this approach is more intuitive and streamlined for me to manage. If you originally signed up via Constant Contact, I have transported your address to Substack, and I thank you deeply for hanging in there with me during this process. As a sign of my gratitude, I would like to offer you some free samples of CBD. If prompted for my username, it’s KelliLynnGrey.
Now, I want to share a little more of The Seed’s background with you. (For those of you who have already signed up, some of this may be repeated. Soon, we will have a complete re-set and fresh start.) I am currently 37-years-old. Like many people, I first encountered cannabis in high school, but I refrained from ever using any product related to it all the way up until age 29. Soon thereafter, I became a cannabis writer for the blog-based column NORML Mom.
The swift journey from “noob” to NORML Mom starts with a car crash.
I had just been rear-ended and pushed into oncoming traffic on Georgia’s Highway 41. (You probably know the one. The Allman Brothers sing about it in “Ramblin’ Man.”)
While not held responsible for the crash, I was arrested and placed in jail due to missing traffic court the week prior for a minor speeding violation.
As a result of that experience, I gained a deeper understanding of how bench warrants work. I also received 9 hours of forced meditation which I broke conveniently into thirds:
First, I absorbed my cellmates’ life stories.
Second, I ruminated on my paranoid feelings about whether I’d be given a drug screen.
Finally, I reflected on how, back in high school, I’d been chapter president of Amnesty International and directly involved in social justice work. I had liked the feeling of that work, and I realized in jail that I missed it.
As soon as my bail posted, I dedicated myself to marijuana law reform.
My first step was joining Georgia’s Peachtree NORML Foundation. My next was beginning NORML Mom.
The premise of NORML Mom was that I would wear NORML merchandise out into the word, take selfies and then write about the experiences I had. That project worked out about halfway according to plan. Some of my favorite pictures from that time are in the collage below this paragraph. Some of the best writing from that time is re-posted here.
Looking over those posts, you will see that the last ones come from a time when I had just delivered a short speech at Liberty Plaza and was preparing to begin a local chapter of NORML closer to my home in northwest Georgia. However, life happened.
I got very sick and was later diagnosed with cancer. I also reached the point in my marriage where it was time to ask for a divorce. My focus shifted from engaging with NORML’s members to basic survival, but I never lost my appreciation for cannabis or my dedication to advocate for decriminalizing and legalizing responsible adult use and medical use for all.
The Seed is my new effort to bring fresh writing about cannabis to a much broader audience. Some features subscribers can expect in their inbox each week are here:
A unique letter from yours truly in the style of NORML Mom.
A compilation of current essays by some of the best cannabis writers on the internet.
Calls to action, opportunities & reviews which support various aspects of the cannabis community.
It’s my mission to insure that these elements together cultivate conscious cannabis culture.
So, what exactly is conscious cannabis culture?
In my opinion, it is widespread, popular support for responsible cannabis practices and policies which honor the intersection of industry professionals, activists, artists, and medical users who are all integral to the present wave of marijuana law reform.
Here are 6 ways you can begin cultivating conscious cannabis culture today:
Acknowledge that ending cannabis prohibition once and for all is about more than allowing people to legally buy and sell weed. Rather, it is also about protecting our environment, addressing discrimination within the criminal justice system and asserting our right as individual citizens to claim ownership of our own personal well being without stigma or shame. A conscious cannabis culture passes and responds to reform measures which support all these areas.
Support the Walk 4 Change, a movement which calls definitively for an end to prohibition while openly voicing and supporting the multiple reasons why this is necessary. You may share your story, attend an event, participate in a leg of the walk itself or submit a sponsorship.
If you are a woman with experience in the cannabis industry, sign up here to participate in a historical global study of Women in Cannabis.
Remember that the United States House of Representatives recently passed a landmark measure which would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level and allow states to set their own policies. If you are a US citizen, use this link to encourage the Senate to support the House in passing this measure.
Spread the word about best practices for responsible adult use of cannabis and remove the stigma! Sharing The Seed is an excellent way to start!
Finally, if you have the chance to responsibly enjoy cannabis related products today, do it! Savor every moment. Really allow your body and mind to feel and enjoy whatever sensations and thoughts arise. Also, if you would like some CBD, click right here to explore some excellent options. While I don’t identify as a “hippie,” I do believe that vibrations are real and matter. Being grateful for what you’ve got really can change the world.