IMO No.16: Cannabis Is a Tool, Not a Destination

A Brief and Hopefully Legally Sufficient CYA

The following article is intended for those who are legally allowed to read about cannabis without clutching their pearls or calling the authorities. This is not medical advice, legal advice, or spiritual guidance from your weird cousin who lives in a yurt and thinks kombucha can cure shingles. It’s also not an endorsement to light up before your child’s PTA meeting or while operating heavy machinery (unless that heavy machinery is your record player and a copy of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours—in which case, carry on). Use responsibly, consult professionals when needed, and for the love of THC, don’t make cannabis your entire personality. We already have CrossFitters and crypto bros for that. Now, onward.

There’s this thing we do as humans where we take a good thing and promptly run it straight into a wall. Avocados, essential oils, oat milk, self-care Sundays—once we latch on, we really latch on. And cannabis? Oh, man—we’ve latched, locked, and laminated it into identity, ideology, and even interior design. (Raise your hand if you’ve seen a rolling tray with "good vibes only" written in gold foil. Yeah. Thought so.)

But here’s the truth: Cannabis is a tool, not a destination. It’s not the thing—it’s the thing that helps you do the thing.

Cannabis Isn’t the Answer (But It Might Help You Hear It)

Somewhere between the war on drugs and the launch of 14,000 wellness-themed dispensaries with reclaimed wood shelving, we lost the plot. Cannabis was demonized, then deified. First it was going to ruin your life. Then it was going to save it. But somewhere in between paranoia and panacea is the reality: cannabis isn’t the answer. It’s not the goal. It’s not the prize at the end of the maze.

It’s the flashlight that helps you find your way.

Used intentionally, cannabis can support some truly lovely things: presence, empathy, peace, creativity. All the stuff we’re supposedly chasing with juice cleanses and phone detoxes and vision boards covered in aspirational images of women laughing while eating salad.

I just watched that great acceptance speech by the late great Coach Jim Valvano again and was struck all over again by his wisdom: if you do three things every day—laugh, think, and be moved to tears—you've had a full, amazing day. Stack enough of those days, and you’ve lived an amazing life.

Cannabis, for me, helps with all three. It helps me laugh harder, think deeper, and feel more openly. It doesn’t do the work for me, but it supports it. I’m a better man, dad, and friend because of how it helps me show up in the world.

But when cannabis becomes the goal—when it turns into the main event instead of a supportive guest star—we risk missing the actual point. You know, life.

Support, Not Escape

Now let me be clear. There is nothing wrong with needing a break. Life is a high-speed blender, and we are all bananas trying not to get pureed. But there’s a difference between taking a breather and checking out completely.

Cannabis can absolutely help ease anxiety, soften the edges of a hard day, and even offer a new lens through which to process tough stuff. But if you’re using it to avoid your reality altogether, you’re not supporting your life—you’re delaying it.

And look, I get it. Sometimes the world feels like it’s held together by duct tape and vibes. But cannabis isn’t the eject button. It’s the cushion. It’s the thing that can support you while you engage, not something to replace engagement altogether.

The Buzz Isn’t the Gift—The Shift Is

When people talk about the "high" from cannabis, they often focus on the sensation—the giggles, the lightness, the calm. And sure, that’s nice. But the real gift? The subtle shift in perception.

When used with intention, cannabis can help you:

• See yourself with a little more compassion
• Notice your environment in a new way
• Listen—actually listen—to others
• Access creativity that’s been buried under to-do lists
• Be where you are, not five mental steps ahead

But that shift doesn’t happen when you’re chasing the next blunt like it’s Mario Kart’s final lap. It happens when you slow down, set a tone, and allow cannabis to support the parts of you that already exist—presence, empathy, creativity, peace. Not replace them.

Cannabis Doesn’t Create Connection—You Do

One of the most magical things about cannabis is its ability to enhance connection. Not just to others, but to yourself. That moment when you finally drop the day’s performance and just be? Cannabis can help facilitate that. But it doesn’t cause it.

You still have to show up. You still have to choose presence. You still have to lean in. Cannabis can nudge the door open, but you have to walk through it.

Using cannabis as a tool means recognizing that you are the active agent in your experience. It’s your mind, your heart, your choices. Cannabis just gives you a little boost, like a friend who gently moves your face toward the sunset and says, “Hey, look. Isn’t that beautiful?”

So What Is the Destination?

Honestly? The destination is whatever you decide it is. Peace. Presence. Love. Laughter. A really good pasta recipe. You get to choose what you’re moving toward.

But whatever it is, cannabis should be part of the journey, not the place you’re trying to arrive. It’s the paintbrush, not the masterpiece. The guitar pick, not the song. The spice, not the whole damn soup.

Intentional Use Is the Key

So how do we keep cannabis in its proper lane? Intention. Reflection. Choice.

Before you light up, try asking:

• What do I want to feel right now?
• What am I hoping cannabis will support?
• What kind of environment will help me get the most from this experience?

And afterward:

• Did I feel more present or less?
• Did I feel connected or checked out?
• Would I want to repeat this experience? Why or why not?

Treat cannabis like you’d treat a new tool in your toolbox. Learn how it works. Test it in different settings. Figure out what it helps with—and what it doesn’t. Don’t use a paint roller when you need a toothbrush.

Empathy, Creativity, Peace—Not Pipe Dreams

Let’s talk goals for a second. Not the kind on your vision board, but the kind that live deep in your bones. The real ones. Have you ever had everything you thought you wanted—materially speaking—only to look back and realize just how hollow it all felt? Life is so much more than stuff, and honestly, it hurts my heart to see people who never come to that realization. The goals that matter are the ones that center around being more connected, more present, more at peace in our skin. More empathetic with others. More creatively alive.

Cannabis can help us with that. Genuinely. There’s real beauty in its ability to lower defenses, quiet inner critics, and spark imagination. But it’s not magic. You still have to do the work.

It’s like having a perfectly sharp pencil. It can write the most beautiful poem in the world. But only if you pick it up and start writing.

Final Thought: Don’t Worship the Tool

We live in a culture that loves to pick teams. Cannabis? That’s either your ride-or-die personality trait or something you’ve been warned about since D.A.R.E. day in the 5th grade. But maybe it’s neither. Maybe it’s just a helpful thing. A supportive thing.

And supportive things are lovely, but they don’t need shrines. They need respect. They need context. They need balance.

So use it. Enjoy it. Share it, if that’s your vibe. But keep your eyes on the real prize: your life. Your connection to it. The people in it. The joy of being present for the ridiculous, painful, hilarious, beautiful mess of it all.

Cannabis can help you see that. Just don’t mistake the lens for the view.

And remember: if all else fails, just try not to become the person who explains terpenes at a toddler’s birthday party. That’s when you know the tool has taken the wheel.

Coming Up Next…

IMO No.17: Just Because It’s Legal Doesn’t Mean It’s Thoughtful

Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s smart—or safe. From shoddy labeling to rushed rollouts, we’re diving into why thoughtful cannabis use (and policy) still matters. Trust us, this one’s worth reading before your next dispensary run.