Weed Sisters Champion Marijuana Use

                              Tara A. Spears    

Warning: some readers might be offended by content relating to religious sarcasm and drug use.         

When I first read about the Weed Sisters organization, I thought it was satire. But, further investigation pointed out that the Sisters of the Valley Mexico – Hermanas del Valle, is no joke but a very profitable producer and seller of cannabis.

“Despite our clothing, the women are not Catholic or any other religion. We are part of an international group founded in 2014, which has pledged to spread the gospel of the healing powers of cannabis and take the plant back from the narcos” said the founder who uses the name Sister Kate. “We are a group of women who grow and sell plant and mushroom-based products. We refer to ourselves as “Sisters” and our products are often marketed as holistic remedies.” In one interview a participant said the group decided to wear the religious habits as a protection from narco attacks and as an act of social protest.

I have long admired the cultural attributes of Mexican ingenuity and industriousness. Hermanas del Valle is a perfect example of both: not only does the concept of women dedicated to a single purpose create a catchy brand but it helps their business stand out in a male dominated industry. One has to admire the originality even if their organization might be offense and controversial -the members are laughing all the way to the bank. One report put earnings in the millions last year besides the international spread of sisterhood branches including New Zealand, Sweden and Humboldt, aiming to bring the healing power of cannabis to as many people as they can.

Officially, the Weed sisters grow and cultivate cannabis to use in several of their CBD products which they sell online. “The medicines we work with have no psychotropics in them. They are all just functional CBD hemp, and the mushrooms we work with are functional mushrooms,” said Sister Kate.

Their top seller is a tropical salve that was made to help treat achy joints but now has several different uses. The Sisters of the Valley also make and sell oils and gel caps used to treat pain, and recently started selling mushroom coffee which works to help mood stabilization and brain clarity.

While some may think these nuns are smoking weed all day, which they do partake in, the cultivation and processing requires lots of work. One of the sisters explains, “Our sisterhood incorporates a spiritual and intentional approach towards the production of cannabis. We see marijuana as a form of healing and connection with nature. All products are made under the lunar cycle; We combine science with the knowledge of our ancestors to make our products.”

That being said, the Sisters of the Valle have created their own weed enhanced rituals. Beneath each full moon on the outskirts of a village in central Mexico, a group of women in nun habits circle around a roaring fire, cleanse themselves with burned sage, and give thanks for the moon, animals, and plants. Then they inhale deeply from a joint and blow clouds of marijuana into the flames. When they were being interviewed by Rueters reporter, the women only used pseudonyms because cannabis sits in a legal gray area in Mexico.  They were worried that with much of cannabis production tied to criminal organizations, that police or local gangsters could arrive to threaten or extort them.         

 As to the status of cannabis use in Mexico, here is how it stands as of September 2023:  the Chamber of Deputies overwhelmingly endorses recreational use of marijuana thru the Federal Law for the Regulation of Cannabis which reforms the General Health Law and the Federal Penal Code, therefore it decriminalizes the recreational use of marijuana as of September 20, 2023 according to cdmx.gob.com.

“Regarding medicinal use, Mexico has a law and a regulation, which allows us to operate 100% in legal terms,” says Lorena Beltrán, founder and CEO of CannabiSalud.  Another approach to legally obtaining weed is the creation of cultivation associations or cannabis clubs. There are already several in Mexico and their presence is increasing.” Cannabis clubs, she says, are increasingly common and since they operate through donations, there is no issue of commercialization. This is the loophole that protects the sister of the Valle.

Yes, the use of medicinal marijuana is available in Mexico. Dr. Mafer Arbolada, an anesthesiologist specializing in chronic pain and palliative care and an expert in medicinal cannabis, explained: “As a doctor, I can prescribe cannabis according to the regulations. A special prescription is required to give to the patient. As I am dedicated to pain relief, I use a special form that COFEPRIS gives physicians that has a barcode that identifies a particular class of medicines that are controlled medications.”

Whatever your attitude is concerning the use of marijuana, obviously the Weed Sisters have appealed to a niche in society. Their innovative approach to selling weed does support a homeopathic approach to pain and health. For many of the Sisters, it’s not just about what they do, it’s who they do it with. “It’s incredible, being with a group of like-minded women who are trying to help make a positive change in the world,” said Sister Hala. 

Interested individuals can order online:  Hermanas Del Valle (@sistersofthevalleymexico)

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