This story was originally published on Passionfruit.
When Amanda Rogers had to shutter her daycare because of COVID-19, she started having trouble sleeping. She experienced heightened anxiety and panic attacks as the future of her business became uncertain. In an attempt to mitigate this mounting stress, Rogers turned to cannabis.
Having tried cannabis in her 20s and finding its effects unappealing, Rogers was skeptical. Nevertheless, the Washington state resident took up smoking regularly again in 2020, and she couldn’t believe the health benefits.
“I was medicating. I wasn’t just consuming,” Rogers said.
As a mother to a 10-year-old son and an early childhood educator, Rogers knew that—in the eyes of many—her cannabis use was not conducive to her career in childcare.
“I can’t be the only mom that consumes pretty regularly and owns a business and kicks ass,” she said. “But, in the eyes of a lot of people, especially in childcare, that’s a big ‘no.’”
