No matter what, cannabis is part of your life and will still be there after the winter celebrations. So will your family. Strike the balance.

We’re all (presumably) grownups here and no adult wants to have their pesky-but-well-meaning relatives, who may not be down with cannabis or its cause, meddling with their lifestyle. That goes double when cannabis isn’t even allowed to step foot on their front porch. What’s a person to do, especially if the use is for medicinal purposes? Here are some tips that might help you survive Christmas.

Don’t Make It An Issue

You can take this in two different ways. If you’re purely using cannabis to elevate your mind and body, a break won’t hurt. And even if you would love to talk about the new legalization laws in your state, perhaps the time with family should be just that. You might have night sweats and vivid dreams, but you’re not going to get the disapproving stare from that hyper-concerned relative. Chanting a mantra in your mind may be a good self-help trick here.

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The other way you could take it is to be completely casual with your use, but keep it to yourself. When you do something as if it’s the most natural thing to do — and what’s more natural than activating our endocannabinoid system? — you don’t draw attention to the thing going down. When it comes to cannabis, having a stash of properly infused edibles is a perfect way to imbibe without calling attention to yourself. A vape pen is also a wonderfully stealthy way to get your buzz on; just take a little walk around the block.

Be Loud And Proud

You don’t need an excuse to simply be yourself and gently educate others along the way if you’re imbibing in recreational marijuana. But if you are, in fact, a medical patient who needs your weed throughout the day for chronic pain or other ailments, just make sure that you’re not the one to go on the defensive. Step outside to smoke your marijuana. Or, don’t even try to be discreet. You’re the one who’s going to have the good night’s sleep from your trusty indica brought along just for that purpose.

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Being loud doesn’t mean take over the conversation — unless of course the curious are engaged — and it doesn’t have to mean wreaking of Sour Diesel at the dinner table either. But being loud and proud can mean having an educated voice and a healthy respect for the views of others. Listen to counterpoints so you can intelligently reply with the correct answer. Or just smoke ‘em if you’ve got ‘em, wash your hands and face, and go on with whatever festivities surround. No matter what, cannabis is part of your life and will still be there after the winter celebrations. So will your family. Strike the balance.