I have met some really dumb stoners. And ordinarily I'd qualify it by saying I've met some dumb teetotalers too, but some potheads I've known have been pervasively stupid in a very particular cannabis-addled way.

There is such a thing as smoking too much pot, and what I've learned is the value of the whole enterprise is found in the difference between one state of mind (high) and the other (not).

There is a proportion of sober time necessary to maximize the amount of spiritual, creative, or intellectual energy you can harvest from smoking marijuana. Or at least, I believe this to be true for me and the vast majority of people I've met.

Sober time is the time for work; for doing the less fun parts of life or a specific task. One night you might be high and think of a project you'd like to do, or task you'd like to accomplish.

You'll want to be sober to drive down to the store, make a list of the things you'll need, plan the project out, and so on. Extending this a bit, there's also work - and that might be studies or a job. The job might earn you the money you need to do things you want to do, as well. There's nothing pretty about being unemployed or not able to afford one's own place, and so on (unless you're some kind of anarchist squatter, in which case, more power to you).

To everything, there is a season, and all of that.

One thing I like to do when baked is look at the map and plan road trips I'd like to take, like going way out into the desert, to camp. In order to arrange my work schedule, plan for expenses to get out there, and so on, I'm going to need to do a fair amount of planning and sober work.

As I get older it becomes more and more important to do and accomplish things. I have big dreams; maybe people who don't can make do with a lot less than I can.

I find that - and again there are exceptions - stoners tend to talk a lot, and not do a lot of what they plan. Being high makes you happy with less (if you're that way all the time), and, as such, while I would never advocate going through life completely sober, it seems important to balance the two states of mind. I think being sober all the time or being high all the time, or even 50/50, would burn me out fairly fast.

When I was in college, I smoked every day, and still graduated in 4 even years (somehow). Nowadays, some years later, I find once or twice a week at most, is the best. I'm sure this will vary for others, but I honestly don't think being high all the time, is likely to be optimal for anyone. Obviously, it's everyone's choice what to do with their life; that's just my opinion.

One nice thing about smoking, say, only on a Friday night, is how special it is. I look forward to it all week, and then tend to plan the session out a little - what I'm going to do, what I'm going to listen to. Also I try to get a lot done during the week so I feel like I "earned" it. This seems to maximize the pleasure I get.