“Do you smoke marijuana to avoid dealing with your problems?”

– The Twelve Questions of Marijuana Anonymous, Life with Hope, second edition, page xvii

One of the most beneficial lessons I’ve learned in recovery is how to deal with problems. When any difficulty came my way I depended on pot to help me solve the problem. It never did. I remained under the illusion that somehow marijuana could do what I couldn’t do for myself. I became a victim. I had no other resources. Over time I believed that the solution to all my troubles, big or small, was dope. I think I even looked for difficulties so that I could get high. Life itself became my problem and marijuana my only solution. I’m reminded of the expression, “when all you have is a hammer, everything becomes a nail.” Pot became my useless hammer. I used it to try to fix everything that came along. I had no other resources.

Now in recovery, I have new and better tools. In this program I use meetings, a sponsor, the Steps, and most of all, a belief in a Higher Power to help me deal with all that life has to offer.

Final thought: In recovery, I find a clear path to a more rewarding and fulfilling life.