Through my involvement in the cannabis industry, including my time as Executive Chairman of High Times, I gained firsthand exposure to both the promise and the complexity of cannabis reform. That perspective has informed not only my professional views but my personal choices as well.
Nearly a year ago, I stopped using cannabis altogether.
That decision came from reflection rather than politics. Only after stepping away did I fully understand how constant, habitual cannabis use had affected my own life. The impact was subtle while it was happening and unmistakable only in hindsight.
Cannabis does not affect everyone the same way. For some, occasional use remains manageable. In my case, however, regular use gradually diminished clarity, motivation, and emotional presence. It did not cause dramatic failure; it caused something quieter, a slow erosion of discipline and self-awareness that became clear only after it was no longer part of my daily routine.
Distance brought perspective.
Stepping away forced me to confront patterns I had previously rationalized. While cannabis was not the cause of my legal circumstances, I came to recognize how complacency and normalization can dull judgment over time and delay accountability. That distinction matters. Responsibility is not only about isolated decisions but about the environments and habits that shape them.
Those lessons now inform how I think about cannabis policy and about leadership.
For decades, federal cannabis policy relied on fear rather than evidence. The result was predictable: overcriminalization that failed to reduce use while burdening families, distorting markets, and disproportionately harming communities with the least margin for error. Reform was overdue.
That is why the leadership shown by President Donald J. Trump deserves clear recognition.
When President Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill into law, legalizing industrial hemp and removing it from the federal controlled substances list, he made a consequential decision rooted in pragmatism rather than ideology. The legislation provided clarity where confusion had reigned, opened lawful economic opportunity for farmers and small businesses, and signaled a willingness to modernize drug policy based on data instead of outdated assumptions.
Just as important was the Trump administration’s consistent respect for states’ rights. Rather than imposing a sweeping federal mandate, President Trump allowed states to chart their own regulatory paths, encouraging reform while preserving accountability. That approach reduced unnecessary federal intrusion and recognized that effective policy often comes from local governance informed by real-world outcomes.
This was not permissiveness. It was leadership.
President Trump’s willingness to acknowledge that prior policies had failed, and to support reform without romanticizing cannabis, set an important tone. It demonstrated that meaningful progress does not require denial of risk, only honesty about reality.
And risk is real.
My own experience, both inside the cannabis industry and in stepping away from constant use, has reinforced that habitual consumption carries consequences. Over time, regular use can impair focus, reduce motivation, and mask underlying stress or emotional challenges rather than resolving them.
The risks are even greater for young people. The developing brain is particularly vulnerable to psychoactive substances, and research continues to associate frequent adolescent cannabis use with cognitive impairment, increased dependency risk, and diminished educational outcomes.
Acknowledging these risks does not undermine reform; it completes it.
Responsible cannabis policy must balance access with restraint, liberty with education. Adults deserve autonomy, but autonomy works only when paired with accurate information and meaningful safeguards.
Since stepping away from cannabis, I have approached my life with greater structure and intentionality. Clarity reshaped how I engage professionally and personally. That experience reinforced the value of discipline, accountability, and clear boundaries.
Leadership requires that balance.
Cannabis policy today stands at a crossroads. We can repeat the mistakes of the past by swinging between extremes, or we can continue pragmatic, evidence-based reform.
The most meaningful change, personal or national, begins with accountability and the courage to adjust course.
About the Author:
Adam E. Levin is an entrepreneur and nonprofit founder whose career spans education technology, media, and corporate turnarounds. He founded Boxlight Corporation (NASDAQ: BOXL), now publicly traded on NASDAQ, and has led the acquisition and restructuring of more than 40 companies across multiple sectors. Today, Levin focuses on reentry support through Second Chance Services, a nonprofit he founded to address the challenges individuals face after the justice process ends, with an emphasis on accountability, stability, and long-term reintegration.