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The Battle of Marijuana

Is it friend or foe?

By Athena SkyPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
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Marijuana? The cure or the enemy?

Although I won't ever deny there are some properties found in the plant that are helpful and aid in many illnesses, are we justifying it properly? Are recreational users making excuses for their use based on medical studies? Before I begin sharing my opinion you should know, I smoked marijuana daily for a few years, that was after a few years of occasional use. This is all based on my own personal experiences with myself and those around me.

Where it begins...

I think we all do our experiments as children and young adults to figure out who we are and the things we want to do. We all took that one hit, drink, or had a taste of something at some point. If we choose not to enjoy those things, we quickly put the thought aside and maintain our innocence. But what about those with a taste for something more or a need for something less? Numbing themselves to the life around them. I'm not saying they aren't innocent, but do we not find people less innocent unjustly? I find it's more a trend among those reaching for non-traditional methods of self-help.

It's about a good time, until it's about having a need.

But it's only on occasion...

I went years with only the occasional use and then completely stopped smoking that proverbial left-handed cigarette. Then a friend passing away made me light up, and I got a dose of what I had forgotten I enjoyed. Freedom! A release from anxiety and my troubles. Although I didn't jump with both feet into the pool of green just from that, I did get a smoking device and had a stash for rainy days. I found myself reaching for a fix for the days the walls started to chip away. I had convinced myself that it was okay because it was just on occasion. I had self-control, or so I told myself.

YOLO!

As the once popular saying goes, "you only live once."

Why not justify using something more often by saying you only live once, or with the "it's my life" view of the world? It is after all your life, and as far as we know we may only live once. But do you really want to spend your one chance completely detached from the things around you?

I need it.

I'm not ashamed of admitting I have used the excuses of needing something or claiming to be "better" because of something I subjected my body to. I went from the occasional use to smoking every day and convincing myself I was better for it. Although I truly believed that, I don't feel it is true now. I won't deny there are some benefits, but I find I accepted a part of my life I shouldn't have. Friendships became less about spending time together and more about getting high. Conversations consisted of "he or she can't be right for me because they don't smoke pot." Every meeting was somehow tied into getting high. Every connection to everyone around me were those just chasing the moments of detaching themselves from life. What started as an occasional party favor turned into a need and a so called "healing" drug.

Is it a need or is that a cover?

I made the decision to stop smoking marijuana when I looked at my excuses for what they were, a false justification for my own satisfaction. I wanted that escape, to forget my problems, not face them. The truth is, marijuana made life easier, but it also took away the parts of life that are important. In the long run, it made many things worse that can only be seen from a sober mind. We have all read about the damages of prolonged use, but somehow ignore that and focus more on how it benefits us more.

This isn't intended to pass any type of judgement, but just to share personal experiences. I stopped smoking marijuana and found a truth that was hidden from me behind the smoke.

Do I encourage you to challenge yourself to stop? Yes! Put yourself in the right state of mind for it, and don't put yourself in harm's way.

You can do it!

I know this from experience, and from seeing those around me succeed and come to the same conclusions I have, in many ways.

I'll end this by saying YOLO, so make it the best once you can.

fact or fiction
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About the Creator

Athena Sky

My mind works in mysterious and complicated ways, but I find I’m often overjoyed by the gifts of the world.

Hop on, strap in, put your glasses on, and read away!

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