We’re sick and tired of being ridiculed, ostracized and shamed by those who deny the way marijuana can ruin lives! At last, the parents have a platform in print! When your child has a drug problem — and that drug is marijuana — they may not know it. But there is no limit to the entire family’s suffering.
For Laura Stack, the outcome was the worst, the death of her son Johnny. Laura told that story in her book, The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana. She also gave valuable insights into the science behind the harms of cannabis.
Johnny’s Ambassador Publishing recently released its second book, The Impact of THC on Our Children: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare. In the new book, twenty-four other parents or families tell their story of the THC nightmare. Amazon.com sells the book in paperback, hardcover, Kindle and audible formats. The stories reveal the dangers of THC use and addiction on teens and young adults. The outcomes include severe mental illness, psychosis and suicide.
While marijuana advocates blame us for “bad parenting,” these stories prove the parents’ earnest efforts to stop the descent into mental illness and addiction. Laura Stack’s Youth Marijuana Prevention conference begins tomorrow, July 10, and continues on July 11. There’s still time to register.
What the stories reveal
Many stories repeat a common scenario: hospitalization, treatment centers, relapses and more hospitalizations. Some of the victims recovered, but it was never a straight or easy path. In so many cases, the children were adamant that it wasn’t the cannabis that caused their problems. For some, only the stint in jail gave them the chance to become sober.
In the same vein, Newsweek published a riveting story two weeks ago, I Lost my Sweet Son to Cannabis, It Devastated Him. In her article, Laura Balboni Craciun explains, a common condition called anosognosia, when a person who has delusions person is unaware of their illness and need for treatment. (Her son is in jail; Nick stopped his marijuana use, but the delusions stay.) She wishes every parent knew that marijuana can cause psychosis.
A theme that runs through many stories is parents’ ignorance of cannabis-induced psychosis. Most of the parents did not believe in “Reefer Madness” before it fell upon their own. One of the writers admitted to being a current cannabis user when her son fell into psychosis. Some first learned of their child’s cannabis use only because of hospitalization. Fortunately, more psychiatrists recognize cannabis-induced psychosis as a serious problem.
Another theme running through the book is the inadequacy of the system for treating cannabis-induced psychosis. This inadequacy can be attributed to our broken mental health care system; lack of education; denial of the problem, and a drug policy that places primacy on harm reduction over prevention and treatment.
Two stories in the book were told by writers of our testimonies, but most of the testimonies are new to us. In the book, the stories are longer and more detailed.
Who are the Parents and Why Now?
Since the Biden Administration’s erroneous move to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, the lessons from these stories must be shared. Our country was foolish to allow Colorado and other states to legalize pot. That so many of the stories come from Colorado should not surprise the reader. (Johnny Stack’s family lives in Colorado.)
“We tell our stories so no other young adult falls victim to these effects,” Stack said. “I hope readers find this book helpful in their efforts to guide their children to prevent or stop THC use before it’s too late. I wish there had been a book like this for me.” 
Today’s marijuana is much stronger than in the past, and the THC concentrates can have 90%+ THC content in dabs, oils and edibles compared to the 1% in cannabis in the 1960s. With the legalization of marijuana and high-potency THC in states across the nation, there are strong misperceptions about the safety of the drug. When teens smoke, vape, dab, or use edibles to get high, the effects have a strong impact on brain development. The brain does not stop developing until age 25 or older, so using cannabis before brain development is complete can be especially devastating.
What’s New in the Book?
Christine L. Miller, PhD. provided two important appendices to the book. Appendix I presents “The Bradford Hill Analysis of Causation Applied to Cannabis Use and the Development of Chronic Psychotic Disorders.” Written with Catherine Antley, M.D. and Dean Whitlock, editor, an earlier version appears on the IASIC website. Carsten Hjorsthoj, PhD, Associate Professor at the Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health, contributed.
The authors show that cannabis use can be an independent factor in the development of a chronic psychotic disorder. Had they not previously used cannabis, some people who develop schizophrenia would not have the illness.
Dr. Miller wrote a second Appendix, Applying the Bradford Hill Criteria for Causation to the Relationship Between Marijuana Use and Suicidal Behavior. Step by step, she shows that it is not just correlation, which is often the first criterion required to indicate causation. Those who still disagree need to tread the book! The two appendices quote a multitude of scientific sources.
In 1965, Sir Bradford Hill developed a set of tests designed to reveal causal relationships in epidemiology. The Bradford Hill criteria were applied to determine the relationship between smoking cigarettes and the development of lung cancer.
Johnny’s Ambassadors
Johnny’s Ambassadors has been on a mission to educate parents, teens and communities about the dangers of THC products. Laura Stack is holding a conference this week, Marijuana Facts Week.
To learn more about their youth THC prevention education, visit www.johnnysambassadors.org. July 10 is “Stop Dabbing Day,” as pot advocates use the date of 710 (OIL backward) to promote cannabis oil, i.e., “dabs,” a dangerous method of consuming THC.
Poppot recommends that parents read both of Laura Stack’s books, follow her website, Poppot.org, MomsStrong.org and EveryBrainMatters.org.
