Kevin Smith Quits Smoking Weed, Explains Why

Kevin Smith, the indie film icon whose characters have been stoned more or less nonstop since 1993, has decided to quit using marijuana, he told the audience on his Fatman Beyond podcast. During the most recent episode, Smith said that he planned to continue selling Caviar Gold, the branded marijuana he fronts with frequent collaborator Jason Mewes, but that he would not be smoking pot himself for the foreseeable future, noting that he felt like he wasn't "present" enough in his daily life after 15 years under the influence.

Smith famously started smoking pot after sharing some marijuana with Seth Rogen on the last day of filming for Zack and Miri Make a Porno, then took it on in earnest shortly after the movie failed at the box office. He also said he worried about the long-term impact THC could have on his brain.

"I can say this -- this is the first Fatman Beyond that I've done not stoned," Smith told his audience. "So I am present. I quit smoking week, it was five weeks yesterday, so I am crisp and very here, kids. Very alert! Is this what this show's like? What the f--k?"

You can see the full episode below.

"Because i did it for 15 years and now I just want to be present. When i started smoking weed, kids, I had a very big wound in my heart and weed was a really nice bandage that I put on top of it, and the wound kept getting bigger. And then I put on more bandages, and then one day I realized I was as bandaged up as a mummy and I couldn't see clearly and I couldn't hear clearly, and wasn't really present anymore."

In the episode, Smith also talked about his involvement (with co-host Marc Bernardin) with the upcoming Green Hornet animated series for WildBrain.

Stephanie Betts, EVP Content and Current Series at WildBrain, said: "We're thrilled to embark on a new animated Green Hornet series with Kevin, who has set up an incredibly rich world with a cast of amazing characters – especially Kato, who is no longer just a sidekick, but is now a strong female partner to the Green Hornet. With his ingenious talent and passion for superheroes and classic franchises, Kevin is the perfect creator to update the Green Hornet. We're excited to share the new Green Hornet and Kato with audiences worldwide."