Mother’s Day is coming up, and there’s nothing quite like getting Mom to try some low-dose cannabis products after years of her telling you it was going to rot your brain. Now, it can help her feel better.

But here’s the thing: with moms, you really need to start low and go slow. You can’t just start her off with a hit off your Chemdawg vape or a 5mg edible. (Even if she’s party Mom.) Last year, I wrote up some products that are well-suited to give to your mother so she can safely and carefully explore cannabis (and feelin’ good), but this year, I’m writing about strategy.

Moms have aches and pains, they can suffer from poor sleep, anxiety, a busted knee, a constant crick in her neck or shoulder, fatigue, arthritis, and feeling stressed out. Let’s help them feel better. And she showed you so many things, so now it’s time to return the favor. Is it her very first time? Point Mom to my article on Advice for Trying THC for the First Time. Don’t get Mom high! (Unless that’s what she knows she wants.)

A great place to begin is with topicals. You can show her that no, she will not get high from a THC topical, but she will love how effective it is on her aches, sore back, arthritis, shoulder pain, or anything else going on. Try the Sweet Releaf Comfort Body Butter, or go for Comfort Plus if she really has severe pain. It has a pleasant, creamy texture, smells good (no weedy notes), and works quickly.

If she would like more of an all-over lotion, try Humble Flower Co. Soothing Lotion, either in jasmine-vanilla or unscented. (They also make an oil and balm.

It’s pretty much a tradition to give Mom some bath products for Mother’s Day, and the Om Epsom salt bath soaks are magic. They come in scents like soothing lavender or rose geranium, and (again) will not get Mom high. But she’ll feel relaxed and happy after a bath.

Om Edibles CBD raw sipping cacao. Photo: Marcia Gagliardi. © mymilligram. Styling: Christian Jusinski/Surfacehaus. Props: Jay Jeffers/The Store.

Next: it’s time for Moms to try some CBD (or “the CBDs,” as I’ve heard many charmingly call it). And find me a mom who doesn’t like chocolate. A big hit with anyone who tries it is the Om Edibles CBD Raw Sipping Cacao. All you need is a spoonful of this creamy cacao (with coconut) that is full of antioxidants and CBD (with barely a smidge of any THC at all, so Mom won’t get high); she’ll love it in her coffee or right off the spoon. It’s unexpectedly effective on pain for something so delicious.

I also had my mom try CBD via the Kin Slips Park Life sublingual strips—they have a bright mango flavor, and offer a solid 10mg of CBD per strip. (I get a nice, chillaxed feeling about 15 minutes later, but not sleepy or woozy.) So the next time she’s stressing out over what you’re doing with your life, give her the slip.

The next step up is to give Mom just a little THC, so she can get comfortable with cannabis (and the idea of it). Keep in mind that psychoactive effects from THC are usually felt around 2mg or 2.5mg, so that’s where you want to start.

The Satori CBD-Rich Chocolate Bites are a perfect beginner edible: the chocolate-covered wild strawberries have 3mg CBD and .3mg of THC per berry (basically a 10:1 ratio). The recommended serving is 3 berries, for ~9mg of CBD, and ~.9mg of THC. (She shouldn’t feel psychoactive effects from THC until around 2mg or greater, so there’s nothing to worry about here. All clear!)

Satori’s salted chocolate-covered almonds come in at ~6mg and ~.6mg of THC per almond, so Mom can enjoy more than one and not worry about getting too high. Start with two almonds (so ~12mg of CBD and ~1.2mg of THC), but you can eventually have her work her way up to four (2.4mg of THC) in time. Just make sure she understands to take out as many as she wants in her dose and then put them away. No snacking.

Does she like sweets? Another option is for her to try a quality gummy, like the Camino gummies from Kiva. Get the social Sparkling Pear—they’re just 2mg of THC and 6mg of CBD per gummy (the other flavors are 5mg, FYI).

Many moms like unwinding with some tea, and the line of Kikoko cannabis-infused teas is a beautiful product for her to try. Try the Sympa-Tea (rich with 20mg CBD—and since there’s also 3mg THC per sachet, have Mom start with a half-portion to start for just 1.5mg of THC). You can buy a tin or a single sachet, or Sava has the Taste of Tea four-pack, but make sure Mom understands the dosage of the other sachets! Get her a Kikoko CALM Honeyshot while you’re at it.

High-CBD tinctures also offer a great starting place because they can help with inflammation and calming, and are easy to measure, down to the quarter-milligram! The silky texture and pleasant taste of Juna Nude (an all-CBD tincture) is Mom-approved (my mother loves it), and the Sweet Jane 20:1 from Humboldt Apothecary has a light peppermint and delicately sweet taste, so it’s another good one for her to begin with.

The Relief 1:1 Micromist. Photo: Marcia Gagliardi. © mymilligram. Styling: Christian Jusinski/Surfacehaus.

The sublingual Verra Wellness Micromist sprays are excellent for experimentation because of their quick onset, pleasant flavor (choose from peppermint or strawberry-ginger), and it’s an approachable, exact, smoke-free format. Go ahead and try the 1:1 and have her do just one spray to start (1mg of both CBD and THC). She’s going to be carrying that thing in her purse in no time.

If Mom is a little more experienced with THC, or you figure out she has a higher tolerance, have her try the brand-new Garden Society Spiced Dark Chocolate with Chile (5mg per spicy chocolate), and I’m a big fan of their uplifting Bright Blooms (also 5mg each, but super-easy to cut into half or smaller). If she has trouble sleeping, Garden Society’s Bliss Blossoms are magic, but definitely follow the instructions in my review (just start with half—5mg—and tell her to go right to bed).

If Mom is the bookish type, pick up a copy of A Woman’s Guide to Cannabis: Using Marijuana to Feel Better, Look Better, Sleep Better–and Get High Like a Lady. There’s a bunch she can read about and learn, from the health benefits to careful cannabis consumption.

And through mymilligram’s partnership with Sava, you can get your order easily delivered right to your door! I know you’re all bizzeeee out there, so let female-owned and operated Sava bring the goods to you!

Please keep in mind that if Mom takes any medications, be sure to have her consult with a healthcare professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product.

Thanks to all our precious mothers, from our mamas to Mother Earth to this beautiful female plant!

SHOP on Sava

Disclaimer: The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your healthcare professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product.

How to Introduce Mom to Cannabis on Mother’s Day