Collabrative effort by Daniel Crawford & Cori Crawford

Growing up in Wisconsin, alcohol was the only “acceptable” form of inebriation. Even though it was just a hop and a skip down I-94, Madison was an island of liberal thinkers surrounded by a sea of conservative beliefs. Since I first discovered sweet, sweet cheeba, normalization of cannabis has come full circle in my family. 

No longer are stoners at the Crawfords relegated to sneaking out back for a quick toke. 

No longer are the conversations just whispers of our illegal pot growing and smoking activities. 

Cannabis is king among family conversations. Many family members and friends want to try the products I produce and have me recommend what might work best for their particular ailments. Those who spent a lifetime consuming alcohol search for alternatives because their bodies are depleted and can’t handle the poison any longer. 

The transformation has been dramatic and as someone who has been employed full time in the regulated industry since 2019, my entire family has been very supportive. In fact, it’s been such a transition that when Fat Nugs Magazine became the media sponsor for The Great Midwest Hemp Festival this past October, I sent my mom to experience her first cannabis event and report back to the Fat Nugs team to tell her story. Here it is:

In August 1981, I checked into my dorm room in Madison, WI. I was a quiet 17-year-old following my All-American Football player boyfriend to college. I spent my time trying to balance the art between studying and partying (alcohol only). I never "tried" marijuana because the stigma was, they were "burnouts", "stoners", "pot heads" etc...and I really was naive to the whole cannabis experience.

Fast forward 42 years later and my son asked me to attend The Great Midwest Hemp Fest since he lives in Arizona, and I live 45 minutes from Madison down I-94. So, off I go on a beautiful Sunday to the festival not really knowing what I will find. Upon arriving, I was taken back and had forgotten how beautiful Madison was with its lakes, the capitol building, along with its vibrant history. Madison gives you a special feeling. 

The people running the festival and the people selling their products were so genuinely kind. They educated me on CBD oils and lotions, as well as drops/tinctures for animals. I learned about hemp and all the different uses and applications derived from it. The music was great and the people attending were just as entertaining. I have been educated over the years that this plant is so much more than what I originally thought and how much it is needed for so many people to assist with their health. It truly is the medicine of the world. 

Wisconsin is in much need of a strong legislative group to push forward and get our government on board with updated cannabis laws and legislature to bring in this growing industry. It makes no sense to be an island of prohibition when our state is surrounded by legal cannabis markets. I look forward to the 55th annual Hemp Fest 2024 and will be bringing my family who needs to see firsthand the cannabis lifestyle and a peek into the industry that is growing around Wisconsin.