Old school, hell yes. Old fashioned, definitely. Avant-garde in my approach to most things, certainly. Prude, nuh uh.

When I was growing up, we always knew that there wasn’t really sage in the Robertson’s spice jar, it was another altogether more fun herb that our parents had very well hidden at the back of that high kitchen cupboard.

My parents were a product of the 60’s and 70’s, for sure. I never saw them stoned but I definitely remember a few of their bohemian friends. When I was old enough, my folks told me they knew I’d experiment along the line, but that I should tell them. I have to say, there never was any novelty. I think when you have audaciously strict parents, you have an intense need to rebel and do EXACTLY what they forbid you to do.

My folks just never really forbid me to do anything.

I haven’t dated anyone who’s been a drug addict. I also haven’t dated someone who’s never tried an illegal substance. None of my friends have burgeoning addiction problems (that I know of), I don’t sprinkle white powder onto my cereal in the mornings, and I only use marijuana when in need… and then when I finally identify that marijuana would in actual fact help my PMT/toe-stubbing/bad hair day etc etc, the thought of actually phoning someone to get it is so excruciating, that I give up the idea altogether.

So, what’s with this proliferating group of young, awesome, super cool trendoid hipster men who have regressed back to high school antics and taken to handmade rollies, smoked daily in coffee shops?

At first, I was like, ok, cool. I can dig this. I think. Watching “Bored to Death” helped.

When I smoke weed, I feel focused, clear and awake. But… I feel like that mostly every day anyway. I don’t feel outrageous bouts of inspiration, creativity or need to laugh for hours about art. Erm, yeah… so that’s why other people smoke it, I guess. Is it the need to have inspiration more often? Is it ok to need pot to survive every day as an artist/muso/director/producer/accountant/whatever? Surely that’s why you’re good at what you do anyway, because creativity/genius/talent is inherent and not a side-effect of a drug--- then all of us would be doing it, talent wouldn’t have value, and the clarity of real, striking genius would no longer be obvious?

I’m not going to pretend I’m pious- I really am not. And for many people, most that I know, in fact, weed is a delightful little trip they take rarely and enjoy it and don’t think about it again for months. Its just alarming to meet more and more men in their 30’s who use it as a crutch and won’t admit that it’s becoming more than just a little thing they do every now and again. Fact: continuous daily use of marijuana dulls your co-ordination, affects your sex life, and makes you look like a silly ape.

Just saying.