Transcript for Marijuana Mommies: Calif. Women Say Pot Makes Better Parents

index" this morning, the secret pick-me-up for some beverly hills moms. They say it's marijuana. And that's mommy's new helper. It makes them better wives, they say, better mothers. It's all legal medically in california, with marijuana purchased at dispensaries with a prescription. But it's giving new meaning to the term pot luck party. On a recent evening at a home in beverly hills, a few moms gather to enjoy food, friendship and a few laughs. I garnish incredibly well. Reporter: But this was no ordinary pot luck party. Welcome to the beverly hills cannabis club. A place where marijuana moms congre congregate to take a break from the stress of family life. Your hostess? The self-proclaimed martha stewart of marijuana. Cannabis made me a better mom. Cannabis made me a better human being. Reporter: Cannabis made you a better mom? Absolutely. Reporter: How did this all come to be? Well, flash back ten years. Cheryl was a married mother of two, and optician to the stars. After her marriage fell apart, her entire life slipped out of focus. I was completely disabled by a crippling depression. Reporter: Cheryl needed an escape. She tried prescription drugs. But popping prozac to get up and xanax to come down every day, felt like a prison, than a panacea. I was at my physician's office. And I said, help me get my life back. He said, you need to smoke a joint. I took a hit off of it. I was smiling and happy. I was like, this is really great. Reporter: But critics might say, yes, you are high. I was definitely medicated. But I will tell you, that I felt better having two puffs of cannabis at that time, than i had ever had any kind of results with pharmaceuticals. Reporter: Cheryl's daughter, amy, agrees. I felt like my mom was checked out on prescription pills. When she would smoke, she was smiling. She was connecting with us. It felt like we had our mom back. Reporter: Medical marijuana is now legal in 18 states. But parenting and pot? Still taboo. You know there are people out there thinking, mothers who smoke pot are bad moms. I'm going to tell it from the point of view of my 10-year-old child. When I'm in pain, I'm in bed for days. I don't talk. I'm miserable. My son will come up to me and say, mom, it's time to medicate. He mains, go get some cannabis. Come back to us. That's what I tell you. Your 10-year-old child is okay with it, I think adults should be okay with it. It's a controversial story. But you know, there was a headline recently, that more women in america are dying of prescription drug overdose than anything else, than anyone else. So, these moms maintain that marijuana use, responsibly, is a safer alternative. We should point out, pot is a prescription in california. Many of them aren't. We'll have more on "20/20,"

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