Addicted to pot?

I smoke pot every day. Am I addicted?

—Robert

How would I know? How much pot do you smoke every day? More than a joint or two? How is your personal life? Are you relatively “successful”? Do you behave like a responsible adult?

“Addiction” is a strong word. Is the person who has a drink or two every day after work an addict? What about the person that can’t get out of bed until he or she has coffee? People who jog every day?

I know I am answering your question with more questions, but the short answer is this: You have to answer that question for yourself. Ask your friends that have known you since before you started smoking if they think you have changed for the better or for the worse. Go a day or two without smoking and see how you feel. You could try asking the Internet, but I don’t think it will help. There are online tests for people that wonder if they smoke too much marijuana. I took this one: www.chacha.com/quiz/1215/do-you-smoke-too-much-pot. It told me I was a “light smoker.” Heh. So there’s that.

If you feel like you are smoking too much, you probably are. While marijuana isn’t physiologically addictive, it is possible to develop a psychological craving.

Good luck on your journey.

I would really like to give my state legislator a piece of my mind. How can I make this happen?

—Dank Capra

I think you should. I think everyone should. In fact, you should go to Americans for Safe Access’ Citizen Lobby Day on Monday, August 4. If you register at www.safeaccessnow.org/ca_citizen_lobby_day_2014, the organization will set up an appointment for you to talk to one of your elected representatives. Please ask them to get their shit together.

This is important, so if you need to take the day off from work, do it. I will see you there.

Oregon is going to legalize marijuana?

—Jefferson

Hell yes it is! The good people over at New Approach Oregon have managed to get a really good initiative on the 2014 ballot. This initiative would place the production and sale of marijuana under the auspices of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission and allow adults (21 and over) to grow up to four plants and possess up 16 ounces per household. Super nice. The money generated from taxes on cannabis would go to schools (40 percent); state and local police (35 percent); with the rest going to drug treatment, prevention and mental-health programs. What’s not to like about that?

And while New Approach’s initiative has a good chance of winning at the polls, it’s not a done deal yet. It will need help. Please send New Approach some money or help spread the word. Once Oregon legalizes, California will have to step up, and then the West Coast will reign supreme! Bwahahahahaha!