Hey Typhoon.
Ya, I hear that, I used to be on that stuff like 24/7 for about 5-6years. It most certainly messed up with your memory, and causes cognitive problems. My brother is still on that stuff like non-stop, but hes like 41 or 42.
The probelm with MJ, is that all your friends end up on that stuff to, thats how it works out right. So in order to quit, you have to pretty much eitehr start NEW relationships with all your friends, or ditch em.
I lost many a friend, but now several years later I am trying to salvage old friendships, in a new light, possible help someone who is still stuck in a rut.
Problem with MJ, is people dont really quit it, since its a slowly degenerative drug. ITs not like sp,e druggs where you have a freaking heart attack literally, or lungs collapse, so it can be part of your life, for a very long time, very integrated. Like you said 18 years. It hard caus usually people hit rock bottom before they quit, but with MJ, you just kinda hover above bottom floor, but dont actually hit it, exactly, for a while. So time wise it can be messed up.
anyways, congrats, your life will be much better now. Make sure to stay clean, and away from old friends until you are strong enough to avoid relapse. ALSO, second hand smoke intoxicates trust me on this, so you can't be 'kicking it' around some homies, while they firing up, caus it wont fly, relapse central. You will get exposure, I know this is the biggest 'lie' supposedly, but its true.
So, stay clean, lets excersize those lungs healthily with some excersize, slowly building up, perhaps with some jogging, you will need to start a bunch of new hobbies to fill your spaces ...
-C