00:00Transcription by ESO. Translation by —
00:30Cannabis is the drug obtained from the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant,
00:43which is smoked or consumed for its psychoactive or medical properties.
00:51My name is Frank. I'm 24 years old. I started smoking weed at the age of 11.
00:56Around 10% of cannabis smokers become addicted to the drug.
01:01Early use increases the risk significantly.
01:04One in six teens who start using cannabis will eventually develop an addiction.
01:08I was raised by a single mother in a family of three.
01:12I was the youngest and an elder brother.
01:15When I was five, my brother was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia.
01:19Before he was hospitalized, my mother would leave me with him alone.
01:25It was that typical African setting where there are some things that can't be spoken about.
01:30You can't tell your mom that I don't feel like being the bigger brother.
01:35After a couple of years of dealing with that, the pressure mount, you need an escape.
01:41And eventually I turned to weed because it offered solace.
01:48My first weed smoking experience with a group of friends at a soccer field,
01:54a friend kind of jokingly forced me along with the rest into taking a puff.
02:00Using cannabis is particularly risky while your brain is still developing.
02:04A process that lasts until your mid-twenties.
02:07In those who are younger, frequent use can lead to problems with learning, memory and attention span.
02:13You think you're in your own world, and when you are in a bad place emotionally,
02:18or a bad situation at home, and you can't talk to anyone about it.
02:23You're smoking.
02:24At times I'd smoke daily, then sometimes when you're with friends you'd smoke twice.
02:29THC is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis.
02:32It triggers a high that's often described as a euphoric or relaxed feeling.
02:36But it can also negatively affect your mood, thoughts, and perception of reality.
02:43A place I'd get weed was an ice cream shop.
02:46It'd help with my day in school.
02:49Sometimes in class, I'd lose my concentration.
02:53I'd start thinking about other situations in life,
02:56and I'd realize that weed would make the distractions go away.
03:00If cannabis is consumed regularly, the brain comes to rely on the drug,
03:04making it harder to function without it.
03:06If use stops suddenly, it can then cause cravings, mood swings,
03:11restlessness, focus issues, and other withdrawal symptoms.
03:16Denial of pain, denial of emotions, denial of experiences.
03:22I was in a dark place.
03:25At the prime of everything, I smoked seven joints in a span of 30 hours.
03:29Cannabis can ease anxiety in the short term,
03:33but constantly using it to cope with these kinds of feelings
03:36can lead to psychological dependence.
03:38And long term, the drug can actually increase the risk of anxiety,
03:42depression, or psychosis,
03:44especially if you are already predisposed to mental health problems.
03:47I'd have to find ways of financing my addiction,
03:50which is where I'd have to sell drugs to other students,
03:54and anyone really.
03:56One of the students I sold weed to,
03:58gave it to the junior boys, which was not supposed to happen.
04:02My name came up.
04:03The next thing I know, I was sent to rehab.
04:06Most of our problems, they start from our childhood, right?
04:08Cannabis addiction is not easy to kick, but it's possible.
04:09And you start by looking within yourself.
04:10What is really paining you?
04:11And how do you overcome that?
04:12It's triggered this process of me recognizing that it's going to last a lifetime.
04:16There are strategies I use in situations where I would rather use weed.
04:20I engage in deep focused work.
04:22I exercise, I meditate.
04:24It frees my mind of clutter and increases my focus.
04:26So I have people who, when I'm like totally distressed or depressed,
04:29that give them a call.
04:31I'm so proud of that.
04:33It's really paining you.
04:34And how do you overcome that?
04:35It's triggered this process of me recognizing that it's going to last a lifetime.
04:38There are strategies I use in situations where I would rather use weed.
04:41I engage in deep focused work.
04:43I exercise, I meditate.
04:45It frees my mind of clutter and increases my focus.
04:47So I have people who, when I'm like totally distressed or depressed,
04:49I'm so, so, so proud of Frank.
04:51My addiction spun over 20 years.
04:55Can you imagine an 18, 19 year old kicking a habit?
04:59Every day he has to wake up and he has to make those difficult decisions.
05:04Who do I surround myself with?
05:06And what kind of life do I actually want to live and lead?
05:10You cannot completely heal from being an addict,
05:13but you work towards being free from your drug of choice.
05:17I've fought it and so far I've been able to live a life free of drugs,
05:21and it's a good one for me.
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