New job inspires high drama
DEAR AMY >> My fiance is a very smart and caring man. He recently started a new job in CBD/marijuana, which is legal in our state.
He works with both medical and recreational product.
He is incredibly excited to have a job that, for the first time in his life, directly helps people. He’s worked with epileptics whose seizures have stopped, and people with chronic anxiety who are able to manage their symptoms better. He gets thank you letters regularly from people whose lives have changed from this herb. (Note: there are many ways to use marijuana that do NOT involve smoking or vaping.)
Unfortunately, my parents completely shut him down anytime he tries to talk about his job. Their eyes glaze over as if he is peddling snake oil.
Despite being liberal, they have made it clear they do not see it as legitimate work, even though it’s legal, profitable and helping people.
He isn’t even pushing anything on them, just sharing his experience the way anyone in a new job does! They’ll even say, “Well, I disagree” when he states a fact like “marijuana can help PTSD.”
To make matters worse, they asked us not to share with our grandparents what he does for a living. At Christmas this year, they’ll want to hear about his new job, but we’re supposed to lie.
My grandparents don’t see the difference between marijuana and heroin. It’s ridiculous. And everyone in our family drinks alcohol, by the way.
Should we go along with the lie? Or should he proudly explain his new job when asked? — Wondering
DEAR WONDERING >> Your husband should not lie. However, if he knows that these various family members of yours believe that he is peddling snake oil — or a drug akin to heroin — he will know in advance how they will react to his new sales job.
If they are as set in their opinions as you say, then his evangelism will mean nothing to them. During this transition period where many states are legalizing THC marijuana, there seems to be confusion about CBD products, which do not contain the “drug,” and marijuana products which do.
I am one of many people who have discovered some benefits of using CBD (in my case, for insomnia), but if people don’t accept or understand these possibilities, then they have the right to reject them.
He gets to make a choice about whether he cares about their opinion of his profession. I suggest that he should enter these family conversations feeling confident and good about what he is doing, and not attach too much to their reactions.