Life In A Bong is the story of one man’s insidious relationship with marijuana addiction and his struggle to finally quit and find sobriety. It takes the reader through four decades of devotion to what is often considered a ‘benign’ drug. Ecstasy turns to darkness as his pot habit shatters his health, career, marriage, and friendships. The author’s black hole of a life is almost extinguished, after suicide bouts, living on the street, and having a heart attack, all followed by taking another toke.

Like alcohol, just because pot is becoming legal does not mean that marijuana is not addictive. Certainly many recreational users have no dangerous repercussions. But new data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism indicates that 30% of all users are or have a strong propensity to be addicted to the so-called ‘stealth’ drug. That means 3 out of every 10 Americans who used marijuana in the past year were classified as having a marijuana use disorder, being drug dependent, or being marijuana addicts, and the numbers are growing like wildfire. The bottom line is that pot is no longer the across the board harmless weed that gives everyone a cookie cutter, safe, fun high. This is serious business.

Who are these people? One-third of users old and new are part of the profile for addictive personalities and come in all ages (teens score higher) sizes, shapes, and races. But there are a number of factors that can contribute to someone's vulnerability including a family history of addiction, genetics, past trauma or abuse, and social factors. The author reveals his own challenges with depression and years of being mistreated as a child. He, like millions of people, was a naïve user, and never realized he fit an addiction profile and until recently, few studies illuminated the dangers of getting high.

It is now time to pay attention. Getting pot in some states is easier than ordering a pizza. With laws being loosened across the country, medical benefits being touted, and new businesses cashing in on what they see as an emerging bonanza, more and more people are at risk.

Life In A Bong is a timely cautionary tale and a heartfelt case in point of how addiction to pot can ruin someone’s life. By the grace of his higher power, the author successfully crawled through the minefields of recovery to take the reader through the rigorous steps necessary to finally rebuild his life, piece by piece. This deeply personal story is his calling to educate, inspire, and make a positive difference before it’s too late.