Purple Marmalade, and Thinking about Talking to my Kids about Cannabis

Some strains of cannabis immediately tell me what I want to write about when I review them. It could be that the aroma reminds me of something noteworthy, or the high has a particular quality that stands out, or the type of cannabis product itself puts me in a particular mindset. Purple Marmalade rosin – another Firefly Organics flower extracted by Helios – has me thinking about one of the reasons I got so into dabs in the first place: keeping my house from smelling like weed so my kids don’t notice. Maybe not the most obvious of ringing endorsements for such a fine quality product, but here we are.

My kids are 12, 10, and 10 (twin sisters, not simply born 10-12 months apart [insert culturally insensitive ethnic stereotype “twins” here]). The oldest, my 12 year-old son, recently had the Drugs and Alcohol unit in Health class. Whilst being driven home by my wife – and with his two besties along for the ride – he was telling her about his day at school, and the subject of this Health unit came up. He said they had learned about “cannabis” (yes, he used that term, and good on the teacher and/or curriculum for using the correct and non-racist term), describing it as “like alcohol: some people use it for medicine, but some people use it just to feel good for fun. It kind of sounds like what dad sells at work.”

Oh sweet summer child… I love my son, but he is staring what I do directly in the face, and has not quite put it together. I suppose there are ups and downs both to his knowing and his continuing to not know. It’s one thing for my kids’ teachers to know what I do, and it’s another for my kids to be talking about what dad does to their friends at school, or around other adults who don’t know me and might be judgy. But he’s going to figure it out, and soon. Or one of those buddies of his will, and they’re going to talk about it, regardless. I’ve always assumed and kind of hoped that when it gets out, the reactions among his peers at least will be one of three things:

1. “That’s so cool, I can’t wait until we’re adults and can smoke weed too.”

2. “Pot is bad for you, and he shouldn’t do that.”

3. No reaction at all, because of a combination of cultural destigmatization and their own parents being cool.

You might wonder why I hope number two there might be in the mix, but if they don’t think using cannabis is cool, then it will be less of a fight about trying it, and my stash will be less in peril of being discovered and ransacked. Additionally, I’ve mentioned in other posts that my son had a heart transplant, so he’s not going to be allowed to use cannabis, else it could disqualify him from a future transplant (or at least move him way down the list, or at least complicate things in a way that you don’t want things complicated any further than they already are). And he’s pretty squared with all the things he isn’t supposed to do with a transplanted organ and while on immunosuppressants, like eating raw fish, getting tattoos, and drinking alcohol. Throw in the cannabis, and it’s practically a list of my wife’s and my favorite things to splurge on. We’re all adapting.

In the end, the plan for how to talk about cannabis with the kids is going to be really quite similar to how we’ve been talking about it before they knew what it was. They know I teach people about and sell plants that can be used for medical or therapeutic reasons, and that it can also be used to change how you feel a little (like alcohol; they understand what getting drunk is, even though my wife and I never drink to excess). They know it’s something that I encourage my customers to use in moderation to be safe, and they know that I have some edible and drinkable products from work that I will consume similarly to having a beer or a cocktail. I think seeing responsible alcohol use has really helped the kids understand that using a recreational substance responsibly can be safe and no big deal. So I’m hoping and frankly assuming that once they fully understand what cannabis is and that I sell it, it will be just like that.

Purple Marmalade lends itself to thinking about inconspicuous cannabis use. It has a relatively simple yet incredibly fragrant aroma, sweet and fruity, with tropical and grape notes. In the way that tropical fruits frequently have a delicate yet intensely distinct fragrance, Purple Marmalade is light yet somehow potent. The rosin itself is a rich golden color with deep undertones of a pinkish purple. The photo doesn’t do it justice, and I didn’t want to tweak the image too much, but the color is there in person. The texture is superlative, somewhere between waxy and saucy, so it’s super pliable and workable, but mostly just slides off the spoon if given the tiniest encouragement.

The hits are clean, very easy on the throat and very light in the lungs. The flavor keeps the majority of the aroma, but trades the grape for a sweet but distinctly pungent aftertaste that lingers quite a while. It’s one of those dabs that I feel exhales a bigger cloud than goes in. 

The high is primarily calming, both head and body, with a euphoric and brainy edge. I’ve felt relaxed but terribly engaged in whatever I’ve been doing each time I’ve dabbed Purple Marmalade. I’m inclined to compare it to Princess Magic Girl for effects; while it’s not the most in your face high, it’s centering, and stress – both physical and mental – just melt away gently into the background. If you’re looking for a chill, mellow, but not sleepy relaxation, this might very well be exactly the concentrate you’re looking for.

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