Virtual Conversation Starter: Grandma, do you Use Hemp Products?

PanXchange Blog

Introduction

The pandemic has made it a tough time for senior citizens who wish to spend time with their loved ones; however, we have one virtual conversation starter that will definitely bring up some things you never knew about your grandparents. “Grandma, do you use hemp products?” Join our conversation with one Colorado 79-year-old grandma who wished not to disclose her name (and may or may not be related to someone in the PanXchange world) as she discusses her relationship and understanding with the hemp industry and the products she’s come to love.

Grandma, do you Use Hemp Products? 

Her initial thoughts about cannabis were not positive until legalization led her to realize it wasn’t such a “terrible thing,” as she once was told. She came to learn all the medical possibilities that arise from the plant. When asked about the difference between hemp and cannabis, she confessed she didn’t know much about the difference between them, but she had heard hemp was used for many different uses, such as building materials. 

A couple of years ago, her Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) brought in a doctor as a guest lecturer to discuss THC and marijuana products. Going into the conversation, she was always fearful it would show up in her blood tests at the doctor’s office but reflecting, she expressed, “well, who cares? It’s not like I’m applying for a job anyways”. In all seriousness, it was with the doctors’ explanation that her confidence grew regarding the plants’ benefits, and she felt eager to try it out for herself. A neighbor in the retirement community reached out to see if she’d want to go to the dispensary to see what CBD and THC options were available for them to try. She later explained, “when I went to the dispensary, it was wonderful they even asked me for my I.D.!”

Her main hope in using hemp products was to find pain relief for her knees, hips, and sore skin. She purchased two salves and explained that the number one thing she could do that she couldn’t before was to walk without pain. She was pleasantly surprised with the price drop in the product in the summer of 2020 and expressed that she could reason to use the products more often due to the lower prices she could reason with herself. When asked if hypothetically she couldn’t use this product anymore, she expressed her concern as she has come to find such relief through her cannabis-infused salves. When we asked if she’s tried another solution, she explained, “no, just because it worked so well. I think these old people are up to date!” 

The Cross-Generation Educational Conversation We All Need to Have 

While it makes for a fun and interesting conversation starter with your grandparents, perhaps even some new stories you’ve never heard before, according to a Gallup poll survey, only 8% of Americans over 64 use CBD products. For this reason, it’s important to educate seniors when trying out new hemp and cannabis-related products, such as the guest lecturers like the one featured grandma explained, or through other sources like understanding fake product alerts, knowing dosages, and more CBD Safety for Seniors. So go ahead, call up your grandparents, and begin the fun and cross-generation educational conversation towards hemp and cannabis awareness.