This story is part four of a four-part series titled “What Worked for Me.” Content warning: This content includes themes related to substance use harms.
For much of his life, Dave Marlin lived for adventure, and in particular music.
“Life was an adventure to me for a lot of years,” he says. “I did a lot of travelling, playing with a few different bands.”
But alongside the excitement and freedom came struggles that began early on.
“I was exposed to cannabis at a really young age,” Dave explains. “When I did experience cannabis, it was like a warm hug from my mom that I didn’t have.”
Over time, substance use became more than experimentation. Following a serious motorcycle accident in 2011, Dave was prescribed OxyContin, which became a turning point that deepened his addiction.
