Melissa Etheridge Uses Weed To Bond With Her Wife And Kids

Two-time Grammy winner Melissa Etheridge is back in the spotlight after some revelations she made about marijuana use among her family. Etheridge admitted to smoking weed with her two adult children Bailey and Beckett. Her daughter Bailey is 20-years-old and her son Beckett is 18.

The YahooNews/Marist Poll is titled Weed & the American Family. The poll shows that American families are becoming a lot more open to the idea of marijuana in their homes.

Apparently, Etheridge is not alone when it comes to using with her children. In a poll conducted this month by Weed & the American Family, 47 percent of parents who use marijuana say they have used it in front of their adult children, shared it with them or done both.

When it comes to sharing with her kids, Etheridge told Yahoo the following.

“I have smoked with my older two. It was funny at first, and then they realized, it’s a very natural, end-of-the-day [thing] … And it brings you much closer. I’d much rather have a smoke with my grown kids than a drink — oh, God, no.”

The 55-year-old musician said she smokes with her wife, Linda Wallem, every evening. The two share a bath, a talk, and a toke, and then enjoy a good night’s sleep. The couple, who have been married for three years, have 10-year-old twins, Miller Steven and Johnnie Rose. The 10-year-old twins know about their parents’ pot use.

Etheridge didn’t grow up smoking. As a matter of fact, when she was a child, her parents talked about the dangers of the drug. Her first time trying marijuana was when she around 21-years-old. Since that time, she used it recreationally every once in awhile. It wasn’t until 2004 that she began smoking pot regularly.

The reason for her increase in use was a cancer diagnosis. In 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer. She began a treatment of chemo and radiation, and underwent a lumpectomy. It was at that time when she started looking into marijuana for medicinal purposes. Some of her musician friends who were also battling cancer shared with Etheridge how much the Cannabis helped with the pain. Since that time, Melissa has been a huge proponent of legalizing marijuana.

Taking it even further, Melissa Etheridge wants to do more than just be an advocate. The singer is in the process of opening up her own business, Etheridge Farms. She told Billboard the following.

“I’m right in the process of branding. There’s a balm that’s so good for muscles and arthritis. I have my own smoke, some edibles and some [oil] cartridges. I’m really just entering the market with what I’ve learned in the last 10 years about cannabis in wanting to bring a product to America that is focused on health and on wellness and how important this plant is and used to be in our medicinal system. Seventy years ago it was on pharmacy shelves, now it’s time to get back to that; to understand plant medicine. That’s really where I want to enter this market in — is for the person who is looking to unwind at night and not have a couple of drinks and feel like crap in the morning. Maybe this is an alternative, maybe I can wind down this way. And wow, maybe this topical actually helps with this inflammation. I just feel really strongly about the medicinal aspects of cannabis.”

Etheridge Farms is hoping to open up shop by the end of 2017. The dispensaries will be located in San Jose, Oakland, and Santa Cruz.

Until that time, Etheridge will be working on her music and enjoying life on tour. Her current tour will have her on the road until the middle of August.

[Featured Image by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images]