2025 was the year of Jesse Lonis
Through his X account, Lonis revealed that he has been 65 days without consuming marijuana, after smoking “every day” from age 12 to 30. “Cold turkey,” he wrote, using the popular American expression to refer to quitting a habit abruptly and without transition. The post quickly exploded among players and poker fans, accumulating thousands of views and dozens of questions.
The American answered several of them with an honesty uncommon in the circuit. Asked why he made the decision, he was direct: “For me and for my children, mainly.” Later he went even deeper: “I have three daughters and I want my time to be completely invested in them when I’m not playing poker. Smoking took some of that away from me”.
Another point that drew the most attention was how the change impacted his mental performance during sessions. “I have been able to stay completely focused during long sessions. I’m a bit out of the Matrix now”, he commented. According to Lonis, he now makes “much clearer” decisions, although he acknowledged he has to work on discipline due to his ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and the ease of getting bored.
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Jesse Lonis Has Live Tournament Earnings Of US$29,479,258, According To Hendonmob.
He also spoke about the physical effects of the process. He admitted to suffering intense night sweats some nights and waking up due to the intensity of dreams. “When I smoked I hardly dreamed”, he explained. In another response, he assured that, paradoxically, he had more anxiety when he was constantly under the effects of marijuana.
While he continues to accumulate millions and results in the circuit, Lonis seems to be playing another equally challenging game: reinventing himself off the tables.
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