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The Martha Stewart of Weed Joins ‘With Whit’ to Help Women Rethink Their Nightcap

September 17, 2025

For many women, unwinding at the end of the day means a glass of wine. But on With Whit, host Whitney Port welcomes Vanessa Lavorato—better known as “The Martha Stewart of Weed”—who makes a compelling case for swapping the pinot for something greener. As the founder of a cannabis chocolate company, cohost of Viceland’s Bong Appétit (2016-2019), and now the author of How to Eat Weed and Have a Good Time, Lavorato is reshaping the way women think about cannabis.

Port set the tone from the start, sharing her curiosity about women who aren’t afraid to speak up about the benefits of cannabis. “I just need to talk to more women in weed,” she says, adding that the culture “needs to be destigmatized.” That opened the door for Lavorato to share how her culinary background, Italian roots, and passion for science all intersect with her love of cannabis.

But the conversation went deeper than recipes and edibles. It revealed a cultural shift—especially among women and mothers—who are finding that weed is a healthier, more balanced alternative to alcohol when it comes to winding down at the end of a long day.

Why women are rethinking weed

Lavorato sees firsthand how women are embracing cannabis in ways that go beyond outdated stereotypes. “I think we’ve really embraced it and we’re like, ‘oh my gosh, we have so much pain in our life,’” she says. “It’s just such a beneficial plant.”

She also points out that women are actively comparing cannabis to alcohol—and cannabis is winning. “I think a lot of moms are looking to it instead of alcohol as a way to just kind of wind down at the end of the night. And it makes sense,” Lavorato explains, noting that both the “buzz” and the after-effects of cannabis are much more pleasant, for most people, than the hangover crash of alcohol.

The stigma around cannabis is fading

Even as laws and public opinion shift, promoting a cookbook with “weed” in the title hasn’t been easy for Lavorato. She explains that major platforms limit her reach. “Amazon will never put ‘editor’s pick’ on it, even though it has five-star reviews from so many people,” she says. “And Meta will never really let me promote it. If I say the title of the book in the promotion, it gets taken down.”

Still, she believes the stigma is slowly lifting. Within women’s circles, especially, cannabis is being reframed as a tool for wellness rather than a taboo substance. “We have this whole system in our body, and the whole point of it is to create homeostasis in our body,” she explains. “[That homeostasis] is to keep us relaxed, keep our inflammation down, all of those things. This plant operates on that system, and so it’s benefiting our bodies.”

Forget about “stoner culture”

Lavorato is adamant that weed doesn’t have to be about “stoner culture.” For her, cannabis belongs at the same table as good food, good friends, and good conversation. “I think it can just be incorporated into a meal. It doesn’t have to be the whole meal,” she says. Whether it’s adding cannabis to her grandmother’s Italian meatball recipe or carefully dosing gummies, she focuses on making cannabis approachable and joyful.

She also sees the culture changing overall. “I think the bro monopoly on cannabis culture is over,” she laughs. That leaves space for women—and especially mothers—to create new rituals with weed that look nothing like the clichés of the past.

A new kind of nightcap

Women no longer need to choose between an evening glass of wine or nothing at all. Weed is becoming a viable, even preferable, option among many. With more controlled dosing, thoughtful products, and cultural acceptance, cannabis offers relaxation without the hangover.

As Lavorato puts it, cannabis is “on another level completely” compared to alcohol. And as more women take her lead, the idea of lighting up—or indulging in a carefully made edible—at the end of a long day may soon feel just as normal as pouring a glass of Chardonnay.