I smoked from roughly the age of 13 until about 35(?). First sign it was probably time to knock that shit off, had a "panic attack" one night. This was before having a panic attack was a thing, never heard of it. Mid 90s? I used to enjoy getting high right before going to bed. The reason, it wasn't really lucid dreaming, but watching what the mind does in that period between awake and sleep....like a damn Dali painting in motion. My heart began to race and I started to think about me innards, ain't nothing in there but a bunch of tubes keeping you alive. It was like fight or flight kicked in, and something inside told me to run!...reassurance that I was alive. I've never been afraid of death, it was weird. Started thinking I was going to have a heart attack and felt bad for my wife that she would wake with me there in the bed...dead. Which only made it worse. Got up, got my shit together, and went back to bed. Started all over again. Woke the wife, she called rescue. By the time they got there I was cool as a cucumber. They probably suspected coke. I thought it was a one off, though maybe not to that degree it happened again, more than once. It was unpredictable. Smoking pot just wasn't fun anymore. Truth is it probably started not being fun long before that began to happen, it was just a habit, a vice. Although I kind enjoy the smell, and kind of wish I could partake when others are, overall I don't miss it.
They say cannabinoids or whatever have health benefits. It used to be that they helped those going through cancer treatment maintain an appetite. But now it goes far beyond that. I haven't taken a deep dive into any supporting evidence, but I believe it. You don't have to smoke it, they have edible gummies and such these days. They say the gummies are a clean high and maybe I should try them. So far i've taken a pass.