This talk is for medical and mental health professionals, clinicians, Grand Rounds, Pediatric conferences, and Universities.
“I don’t remember another debate where so many people changed their minds. You were great, and I think the American experience that you outlined was crucial.”
– Sir Robin Murray, after the Maudsley Forum debates in the UK
“Eyes opened. Jaws dropped. Minds blown. Hearts hurting. Marijuana madness. Who knew how dangerous it has proven to be! I surely didn’t until I read your book on Johnny’s life and death then even more information presented during your seminar on “The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana” in FL. Your topics explained so much: The brain connections and damage, the types of THC products easily available, the mental health issues that can be permanent, and the sad reality of suicide risk. You truly opened our eyes and front-loaded our team and community to better understand the danger of this substance that seems to be gripping our youth. Thank you for taking your pain and purposely making Johnny’s life count by educating our youth and community.”
– Susan Foley, Palm Beach County Behavioral Health Coalition
The Causal Link Between Youth THC Use and Psychosis: The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana
THC use (vapes, dabs, smokes, edibles) can affect brain development, particularly during the critical period of adolescence through the mid- to late-20s. This is also the period when psychotic disorders typically emerge, and there’s growing evidence associating the two. Recent studies show that the more potent the THC product used, the more frequent the use, and the earlier the age of consumption, the greater the risk of psychosis. Physicians have seen a rise in chronic psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, in which they believe youth THC use was a contributing factor. In this session, you’ll learn how today’s high-potency THC products cause greater rates of addiction, brain changes, and mental illness in our youth.
Attendees will:
- Understand why today’s high-potency THC products are more addictive for youth than in decades past (brief overview).
- Learn about the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) and how THC interferes with adolescent brain development (brief overview).
- Discover how addiction and brain changes can lead to mental illnesses (psychosis, anxiety, depression, suicidality) in youth who use THC.
- Study the latest research linking youth high potency THC use to schizophrenia in those who aren’t genetically inclined.
- Apply the Bradford Hill Elements of Causation to THC and psychosis.
This session is taught by Laura Stack, who lost her 19-year-old son, Johnny, to suicide following psychosis from high-potency THC use. Laura is the Founder & CEO of the nonprofit Johnny’s Ambassadors Youth THC Prevention, which is working to warn teens and parents about the dangers of youth THC use. Backed by peer-to-peer research and Johnny’s Ambassadors Scientific Advisory Board.
“I brought Laura in virtually for my Drug Free Communities coalition to present on the up and coming marijuana issues our community will face with the new recreational marijuana law being passed. The majority of the audience was law enforcement and public health professionals and they were all very engaged during the training. They all responded and said that Laura was knowledgeable about the training topics and she was easy to follow. Getting an inside look at all of the different forms or marijuana was eye opening for the coalition members. Most of coalition members said they would love to have Laura in person to do another training, especially for our educators and I hope that this is something I can do for my coalition in the future. Laura’s presentations are valuable to anyone that wants to know about the dangers of marijuana!
– Jaylea Olson, Drug Free Communities Coordinator, Richland County Health Department
“Laura Stack from Johnny’s Ambassadors met with our district staff virtually. She did an amazing job educating our staff about the dangers of marijuana on the brain. The visuals provided a real-life picture of how drug use can drastically change the lives of today’s adolescents in negative ways. Providing information about the definition of the terms associated with drug use was both enlightening and informative. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Johnny’s Ambassadors in this very worthy cause.”
– Karen Haynes, Ph.D., LPC-S, Director for Mental Health and Social Services, Galena Park Independent School District