She’s got a confection to make. Shaina Kerrigan is the founder of Molly J., a company making CBD gummies that help you relax and are yummy AF, thanks to flavors like Sparkling Pomegranate and Lemon Lavender (Ale’s personal fav 🤤).

Here, the Californian shares how she’s spreading the chill, who the original Molly J. is, and how she’s reducing the stigma around cannabis.

When did you first try CBD, and were you skeptical about it?
Ironically enough, my old boss told me to try it when I was burnt out from work and having trouble sleeping. I was a little skeptical because I’ve always thought that if something worked well, I would’ve already heard about it, yet I hadn’t heard about CBD.

But now you’re changing that! Tell us how.
After that first try, I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed from a full night’s sleep. I knew then and there that other women needed to know about CBD, so I started hosting cannabis education parties at my house to remove the stigma. It grew organically from there, with others requesting parties at their houses and a waitlist of women who wanted to attend. I would cover everything about the plant, products I liked, what to look for on a label, and more.

If CBD was working so well for you, why start your own brand?
I was using CBD gummies to help take the edge off after a long day, so when I ate one, I wanted it to feel similar to opening a luxurious bottle of red wine or mixing up a nightcap. Unfortunately, the only products on the market at that time looked like vitamin pill bottles and were light in dosage. So I set out to create a more effective gumdrop.

We noticed they come in 25mg and 50mg. Which should we take?
Our 25mg dosage is meant for those who are newer to CBD or looking for a more subtle response. For those more familiar with CBD or trying to treat a specific ailment, 50mg is the way to go.

Ok, so who’s Molly J.?
It was actually my cat’s name! I rescued her when I was in my 20s. When I started hosting CBD parties and realized this could become a business, the first step was to think of a name, and as I glanced over to the basket of my samples, I saw Molly sitting comfortably inside, happily watching me work. Molly passed away a year ago, so now I smile every time I see her name in an article or on a box.

A lot of people avoid CBD during the day because they think it will make them groggy. Is that a misconception?
Absolutely! The main goal of CBD is balance—to help your body and mind find an equilibrium. Taking it in the evening can help unwind, but taking it in the morning (or any time of day) can help calm stress.

How else are you reducing the stigma around cannabis?
No plant should be illegal, and no person who needs it should be put in prison. There would be no Molly J. if it weren’t for all those who came before us and risked their freedom to destigmatize cannabis and spread this medicine to those who need it. We want to make cannabis accessible and equitable for all, which is why a portion of our profits goes to NORML, for cannabis legalization, and Last Prisoner Project, to free cannabis prisoners.