I did not smoke weed for the first time until I was 33. This number is much higher than the average age I hear reported by friends and coworkers who smoke. I was a die hard straight edge for the majority of my life so far which means I did not smoke tobacco, use any drugs for recreation, or drink alcohol. At the time if you told me I'd grow up to have a daily weed habit I would have asked you to get the fuck away from me. I am proud of my decision and it was smart of me to live that way. In some ways I still do, as I mentioned in my Mushrooms Rave. I am comfortable with my choice to smoke even if it means abandoning the straight edge lifestyle of which I was formerly so proud. One thing is for sure however, when I made my choice I wasn't going to miss the "community". I use quotes because these people are not unified on anything, And are generally miserable people due to their own bitterness and resentment, not because they 'need to do more drugs like some of you are thinking. The word community gets thrown around a lot, and I think it's losing meaning, but maybe I'll Rant on that another time.
I smoke because it is legal, and I already can't claim my straight edge status anymore, because mushrooms will be part of my life forever. You also can't do psychedelics all the time. I'm sure people do, but I literally do not know how. So I wanted a way to manage my stress and I tried some weed. I started smoking a lot since then. I do not think it is all upside because I often find that different strains, routes, dosages, contexts, etc. have a strong impact how I am effected. This can make weed an unreliable experience, and sometime it can even ruin a good time. Like getting paranoid at Disneyland or not being able to ejaculate when having sex.
I feel the desire to smoke everyday after work, and at previous jobs I have definitely been high at work. My current job is one I value too much to compromise it by making that stupid choice, because it would lead to my termination. That said I probably should take a "T Break" so I can keep my tolerance down. I am still a lightweight, which is fine by me. I save money. I can feel my memory getting worse however as I struggle to think of common words like 'screwdriver' or 'fountain' but can rattle larger words off as normal. I like to play RPG's of all kinds but mainly the tabletop variety. Games that are funner for me when I can improv. So that's not something I would want to sacrifice.
I know potheads who have quit because they were burning out, but I figure they started so much earlier than me so I don't have the same time in the seat that they do. That's probably very fortunate for me because I would like to keep going with my Cannabis habit because I do enjoy the positive effects it can have. Like allowing me to let go and be my former self again. A younger me who was free and uninhibited. I also think it aids me in artistic pursuits for the same reason. I always liked art as a kid and letting go of baggage is helpful for clear thinking while making artistic choices. I am connected back to the kid in me that just loved to draw.