Summer Days

a field of sunflowers with a close up of one

Written by, Michael M.

For me, sunny summer days were made for using. At the pool. Before work. After work. For BBQ’s. For hikes in the woods. My friend used to say that weed was a “guaranteed good time.”

And for addicted me, summer was prime “party” time.

My mind wants to reminisce about how good getting high used to be.

But the truth is, getting high stopped being fun decades ago. The truth is, getting high had become a chore. A chase. A coping mechanism. It was for escaping. And running. It was a tool to tamp down my fears.

But somehow my addict brain wants me to frame it as “fun.” Because my addict brain doesn’t want me to remember how unmanageable my life had become. Because my addict brain wants to kill me.

The truth is summer is delicious sober. The cool water at the pool is sweeter sober. The cook-out is perfect sober.

And that’s why I keep coming back. So that I can remember the real story. So that my brain doesn’t try and pull a fast one on me. So that I remember what happens if I pick up.

Published in A New Leaf – September 2025

More Articles

  • CALLING IT AS IT IS

    Written by, Leslie J. I can’t believe it happened to me. After brushing off all the gateway drug talks, the silent, disapproving I told you so’s echo in my head. If I had only known the gate was to addiction, period—not just cross-addiction. The first time I heard about weed was in one of those…

    CALLING IT AS IT IS
  • Psychosis

    Written by, Izzy SF coming of age amidst a cloud of purple haze i thought it fueled the revolution but it turned into a cage i dreamed blue dreams while gorilla-glued to screens where paranoia sticks like sherbert and young bright eyes lose their gleams doctors say it’s cannabis-induced psychosis i might say we’re stifling…

    Psychosis
  • ‘Once A Broken Dream’

    Written by, Ney Ney ‘On awaking a feeling of hope sometimes I remember and sometimes i don’t all the memories I made on the years of haze as my broken sleep begins to fade. The calming lavender swept under my chine the sweet smell of mother nature letting me in the forgotten spirt and dreams…

    ‘Once A Broken Dream’
  • From Magic to Misery

    Written by, Adam K. This isn’t working for me anymore. At first, every time felt like fireworks.You showed me the secrets of the universe—so many insights,creativity blooming,getting lost in thought,enhancing the senses,unearthing emotions,recalling past memories…Spending more and more time with youand less and less time with people I loved.I couldn’t live without you.But I’m not…

    From Magic to Misery
  • Replying to a Major Publications Article on Weed

    Written by, Param D. Today an article called “Review of Medical Cannabis Use Finds Little Evidence of Benefit” that was published by a major news outlet. I started to read the comments, many of which denied  that weed could be addictive or harmful. It prompted me to write a comment of my own. “I’m a…

    Replying to a Major Publications Article on Weed
  • Heard in a Meeting

    “Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?” Published in A New Leaf – April 2026

    Heard in a Meeting