Posted in r/technicallythetruth by u/damaged_and_confused • 48,004 points and 307 comments

I know this is a meme thread and all and Im about to sound like the old man who doesnt get it but Ill just say this from my personal experience.
I smoked a bunch of weed in high school, I smoked some in college, and I could probably count on 2 hands how much Ive smoked since college (almost 10 years). Ive done mushrooms on a wilderness backpacking trip in the last 5 years and that was basically one of my favorite experiences ever. I did coke a couple times when I was in college, both times I was shitfaced so I dont really remember it. The point being is I didnt really ever smoke or anything since college, that was the end of my experimental phase, and like most average people I tried a little bit of everything when I was younger and stopped when I grew up. I even have buddys who smoke a lot too and would always offer me bud when we hung out and I essentially always declined.
All that being said, I drink pretty often, I wake up feeling like shit some days (as you get older it takes like 3 days to recover from getting drunk, trust me not fun).
People used to tell me how I was so zen but over the last few years Im a pretty high strung person most days. I have a great career but my job is very stressful and Im essentially on call 24/7. I lost my sister not that long ago and have been dealing with that as most men do which essentially means bottling it up inside and breaking down privately every once in a while.
Massachusetts legalized weed a while ago and over the last several weeks I decided lets go to the dispensary and buy some recreational marijuana. I cant even explain to you guys how great it is. I come home from work and take a few puffs and feel so relaxed. I wake up in the morning like nothing happened. Ive had muscle spasms for the last couple years in my back, recently went to my doctor and got xrays and stuff, but around the same time I went to my doctor I started smoking again – my back pain is essentially gone now. I feel so much more like myself again… Thoughtful, relaxed, creative, etc. Ive even noticed the last few weeks I am talking more about how I think or feel. My significant other for instance, I rarely talk to her about how Im feeling or what Im thinking, and Ive noticed I can talk to her for hours now. I had a conversation with a buddy of mine for a couple hours last week which and it wasnt just making fun of each other or cracking jokes, it was a deep conversation we had. I dont remember the last time I felt relaxed enough to open up to people like that.
Drugs are great in moderation and honestly the way Ive seen people destroy their lives with alcohol or personally how Ive almost destroyed my own life with alcohol – it makes no sense to me that marijuana isnt legal across the country. Drugs in general shouldnt be treated like criminal behavior, particularly marijuana, and if people are abusing drugs they need help not punishment. We all know the guy who is super into smoking weed, but its honestly just such a great drug and more people need to smoke it.
Side note, growing up I remember calling numerous people and speaking in code on the phone to buy weed, then meeting up with some shady ass dealer at a shady location and feeling so paranoid about everything. Its comical to order my bud online and walk into a store to pick it up then drive home and with no care in world.