Real Recovery.
Dive into heartfelt personal stories from members of Marijuana Anonymous around the world. These first-person narratives share the raw truth of addiction, the turning points of change, and the daily triumphs in living a cannabis-free life. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking inspiration, these stories offer powerful connection and hope. Discover relatable experiences and courageous transformations.
Unique Voices
The content contained in A New Leaf are the sole opinions of the authors and do not reflect the opinions of Marijuana Anonymous as a whole. MA is not affiliated with—and does not endorse or accept contributions from—any outside enterprise.
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LGBTQIA+ and Being in Recovery
Written by, Connor B. My first boyfriend was the one who introduced me to marijuana. I was 18 and he was significantly older. He took advantage of my naïve puppy love in many ways: pressuring me to give him a car loan, living in my dorm room for months, etc. But it was developing the
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Turning 40
Written By, River B. My birthday is in the fall, often landing on or shortly after the autumn equinox. This year in celebrating with a weekend at my parent’s cottage on the shores of Lake Huron with four of my closest friends, who have all agreed to a sober weekend in support of my new
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Choosing Life
Written By, Mirabelle H. I smoked for the first time when I was 16. I didn’t feel anything physically, but emotionally, I felt guilt—like I was stepping over a line I wasn’t ready to cross. I told myself it would be different when I was older, when it was “okay.” So I made a deal
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Making It To Dry Land
Written By, Lee N. A way to stay afloat. That’s what marijuana was for me. My therapist (cringing at myself for being a living, breathing queer, Jewish stereotype by starting a sentence this way but…if the shoe fits) recently shared with me a parable in which someone had compared their addiction to a life raft.
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My Stepping Stones: A Personal Journey Through the Twelve Steps of Marijuana Anonymous
Written By Brian B. When I first walked into the rooms of Marijuana Anonymous, I was searching for a new way of life. Recovery felt overwhelming but also full of possibility. At my very first meeting, called Grown as Men, newcomers were given a simple gift: a virtual white stone. That small image of a
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From Bad to Worse
Written By Christine L. Cannabis—at first harmless. A little flower lifted my mood, made me feel alive. My ex-husband and I partied, laughed, lived freely in the US. Later, alone, I used it spiritually, searching for God, the Goddess within me. I thought I’d found my true nature. I felt guided by spirit. Wrong. My
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In service of our primary purpose, to carry the message of recovery to the addict who still suffers, A New Leaf features personal recovery stories each month.
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