Two innovative parenting guides make teaching kids about hemp and cannabis simple.

Juliette Benz and Kris Morwood created Callie Cannabis and Hana Hemp to help with this complicated topic. Blair Barbour, an internationally recognized artist, joined the team on “Hana Hemp.” Each book focuses on a different aspect of the cannabis plant from a child-friendly perspective.

We met Benz and Morwood at the NoCo Hemp Expo where they offered a hemp arts and crafts area. Young visitors and the young at heart had a blast making bracelets and other simple jewelry from hemp.

These books are designed to replace years of fear, stigma and misinformation about cannabis. “Callie Cannabis” helps parents explain the overall benefits of cannabis and how it can be used. “Hana Hemp” focuses on teaching kids about hemp and its ancient history. The books gently address the war on drugs by helping kids understand why some people still fear cannabis. Callie also offers some safety tips for keeping cannabis and hemp edibles in the home but out of reach of kids.

Hana Hemp and her friend Callie Cannabis help parents teach kids about hemp and cannabis. In this illustration, Hana Hemp inspects a hemp plant. (Callie and Friends)

Morris Beagle, co-founder of the NoCo Hemp Expo, is also a fan of Callie and Hana.

“Kids need to be taught the truth about cannabis/hemp from an early age,” Beagle said. “The truth is cannabis is the best plant ever.”