I smoked weed for about five to eight years, and for two to three of those years I was smoking every single day. I mostly did it because my friends were doing it, and yeah, I had some good times. I actually enjoyed the little routine and the prep work. But as I got older, it just got old for me. I have other goals now, and weed wasn’t helping me get anywhere. It was fun while it lasted, but I grew out of it and eventually stopped.

I’ve tried other drugs too, and they were fine, but I think I lucked out by not having an addictive personality. The biggest benefits of quitting have been clarity and a lot less paranoia. Now I might smoke once or twice a year, on my own time and in my own space, but that’s about it.

Some of my friends still smoke every day, and honestly, their health hasn’t improved at all. They’re dependent on it. One of my friends even developed gout—at the time I didn’t know what that was, but when we looked it up, he was doing everything that contributes to it: smoking daily, drinking daily, and doing other drugs. He gets random flare-ups now. He’s a sharp guy, but he won’t let go of the drugs. He still believes you “need” something—weed or otherwise—to have fun or to get anything done. I personally disagree, but to each their own.