Adam Gopnik reflects on why he turned to marijuana to relieve his pain during a recent bout of shingles.

His 17 year old daughter was horrified.

But Adam concludes that wise drug policy accepts the existence of intoxicants and says "this tale of unshaven debauchery" has made him realise, for the first time, how much his own "hyper disciplined, driven life" had taken out of him.

Producer: Adele Armstrong. Show less