Book Laura Stack to Speak

Providing Science-Based School Assemblies to Educate Students About the Impacts of Youth Cannabis (THC) Use
We teach middle and high school students what the active ingredient in marijuana (THC) does to their developing brains using a non-scary, non-judgmental approach. Our evidence-based, data-driven talk gives students the knowledge and skills they need to avoid using THC products (vapes, dabs, edibles, marijuana). Our youth substance use prevention presentations use current research as the foundation of all information presented.

Who is Laura Stack?

Laura Stack is Johnny Stack’s mom and the Founder & CEO of Johnny’s Ambassadors Youth THC Prevention. For 30 years prior to starting her nonprofit, Laura was better known in the business world by her professional moniker, The Productivity Pro®. She is a Hall-of-Fame Speaker and corporate spokesperson for many major brands. Laura is a bestselling author of eight books on time management topics with a large social media following, and she has given keynote speeches and training seminars to major corporate, association, and government audiences for three decades.

But Laura suddenly acquired the undesired wisdom of knowing what it’s like to lose one’s child, when her 19-year-old son, Johnny, died by suicide. He became psychotic after dabbing and vaping high-potency marijuana concentrates and thought the mob was after him.

Laura’s world took a 180. She knew so little about the harms of marijuana and was determined to teach other parents and teens what she had learned, so the same thing wouldn’t happen to them. She filed for and received 501c3 nonprofit status for Johnny’s Ambassadors, Inc., with the mission to educate parents, teens, and communities about the dangers of today’s high-THC marijuana on adolescent brain development, psychosis, and suicide.

Laura wrote the bestselling book, The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana: Johnny Stack’s Life and Death Story, with 300 pages and 176 scientific notations about what happened. Described as a woman with unstoppable drive and unwavering purpose, Laura hopes to help other parents, grandparents, teachers (and frankly all adults with teens in their lives) by honestly and boldly sharing Johnny’s story of his high-potency marijuana use, psychosis, and suicide.

Speaking Opportunity

The devastating loss of her child gives Laura a powerful voice and a platform for change. Johnny’s story has been featured in People Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, PBS, and Dr. Phil, among others. Laura sees it as her responsibility to share Johnny’s warning that “marijuana ruined my mind and my life” to prevent other teens and families from having to go through what she did and save other young lives from the harms of marijuana.

Laura’s platform now brings marijuana education, awareness, and prevention curriculum around the U.S. to raise awareness of the harms of THC use for youth. She speaks to students at middle schools, high schools, and universities across the U.S. sharing Johnny’s warning with young people. She also gives in-person and virtual keynotes for drug prevention conferences, suicide prevention conferences, law enforcement/safety conferences, coalition community events, parent nights, and government agencies.

Laura does not use “scare tactics” or a “just say no” judgmental approach. Her talks are heavily science-focused and research-based, while weaving in Johnny’s story, with the intent to provide information for young people to make informed choices about marijuana use. Her conversation around Johnny’s suicide is minimal, as it’s secondary to her focus on youth marijuana prevention. Laura is trauma-informed and does not discuss method of suicide with student audiences. While the end result of Johnny’s life is sad, her talk is hopeful, upbeat, and encouraging.

Laura is the recipient of the 2020 Drug-Free America Foundation’s Moxie Award for protecting youth from substances, the 2021 Leadership in Advocacy Award from the National Speakers Association, and the 2022 Loss Survivor of the Year award from the American Association of Suicidology. By sharing Johnny’s own warning about marijuana, Laura is determined to start a movement to bring teen marijuana use, mental illness, and suicide into the spotlight and get them to #StopDabbing.

Laura lives with her husband near Denver, Colorado and has two surviving adult children.

“Forge ahead despite your pain and give meaning to your loss.” – Laura Stack

Teen/Student Version – Middle Schools and High Schools

Title: The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana: Johnny Stack’s Life and Death Story

Description

Laura Stack’s son, Johnny, was a computer whiz with a perfect math score on the SAT and a 4.0 GPA. He started vaping THC at a party at 14 years old and died by suicide five years later after becoming delusional from dabbing. Soon afterward, Laura started a nonprofit organization, Johnny’s Ambassadors, to educate parents and teens about the dangers of youth THC misuse. Three days before his death, Johnny issued his own warning about his THC usage, “Marijuana ruined my mind and my life.” By weaving Johnny’s tragic tale throughout this science-based presentation, Laura educates teens on how THC can disrupt brain development. Laura’s presentation reviews the newest research on the potential harms of vaping, dabbing, and edibles in a teen-friendly way. They stay engaged and focused for the entire hour! Laura gives 200+ assemblies each year all over the U.S., up to three in one day.

Objectives

• Meet Johnny Stack – Who Was He?
• Define the Terminology: Cannabis, Marijuana, Hemp, Delta-9, Delta-8, THC, CBD
• Understand THC Potency – “Then” vs. “Now” Marijuana
• Learn how THC is Extracted and how Concentrates are Made in a Lab
• Calculate Dosage to Understand How Much THC is Going Into the Body
• Learn how THC Gives Users the High Feeling by Mimicking Natural Endocannabinoids
• Understand how THC Impacts Adolescent Brain Formation and Function by Binding to CB1 Receptors
• Review the Dirty Dozen Impacts of THC Use on the Teen Brain
• Learn What the FDA Has Approved as “Medicine” for Cannabis-Derived Products
• Uncover the Research Between Teen THC Use and Mental Illness, Psychosis, and Suicidal Thinking
• Understand What Happens When People Dependent on THC Try to Stop
• Practice What do To and Say When Offered THC at a Party
• Consider the Science When Making Decisions for Yourself in the Future

NOTE FROM LAURA ABOUT SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES: I speak to middle school and high school students about 50/50, in your auditorium or gym, with the entire school or one class as desired. They are essentially the same talk, with the middle school science taken down a notch. I use a science-based, research-based approach that is non-judgmental and non-preachy. I teach students why using marijuana products is bad for their brains and encourage them to consider the science when making decisions for themselves in the future. We discuss why today’s THC products are different; how concentrates, vapes, and edibles are made through extraction; how potency is calculated and what it means for dosage; how the adolescent brain forms; how THC makes people high; how THC mimics our natural endocannabinoids; what the Endocannabinoid System is and why it matters; where CB1 and CB2 receptors are located in the body; what happens when THC gets into the developing mind; the possible negative outcomes that can happen to teens who use; the research tying marijuana use to increased mental illness, psychosis, and suicidality; what they will experience if using and attempt to stop; what to do and say when offered marijuana at a party and they don’t want to use; what the FDA has approved as medicine and what is not; what to do if a friend is using and they see warning signs; and how to get help for themselves if needed. Throughout it all, I weave in Johnny’s story to anchor the science point and keep them engaged with the challenges he experienced. The talk is NOT a suicide prevention talk and is not upsetting. I am very trauma-informed and have not had youth leave my presentation from getting upset. This is a Youth Drug Prevention talk without the scare tactics. Please contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions about my approach!

Adult/Parent Version

Title: The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana: Johnny Stack’s Life and Death Story

Description

Laura Stack’s 19-year-old son, Johnny, died by suicide on November 20, 2019, after becoming delusional from dabbing high-THC marijuana concentrates. Soon afterward, Laura started a 501c3, Johnny’s Ambassadors, to educate parents and teens about the dangers of today’s high-THC marijuana on adolescent brain development, mental illness, and suicide. In this session, Laura will share the story of Johnny’s marijuana addiction from a parent’s point of view, a poignant chronicle of the shocking descent from innocence to eventual suicide. Before marijuana, Johnny was a computer whiz with a 4.0 GPA and a perfect math score on the SAT. After marijuana, he stole his family dog from the home and threatened to kill it without payment from his mother. With moving candor, Laura traces the first warning signs, their attempts at rehabilitation, her desperation, and his eventual demise. Three days before his death, Johnny issued his own warning about marijuana usage. Through this tragic tale, Stack hopes to use her pain to help parents talk to their children about the dangers of today’s marijuana. Participants will hear a first-hand account of the death of a teen from marijuana use and be educated on the harms of marijuana on adolescent brain development, mental illness, and suicide. Laura’s real-life story is backed by recent scientific-based research on how today’s potent THC products lead to mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, paranoia, psychosis, and sadly, suicidal ideation. This presentation is a clarion call for parents across America to educate themselves about the risks of today’s high-THC marijuana products and to better understand the potentially devastating effects on youth mental health.

Objectives

• Learn About the High-Potency Marijuana Products Used by Today’s Youth
• Discover the Effect of THC on Adolescent and Teen Brain Development
• See the Results of Legalizing Medical Marijuana for 18-Year-Old’s in Colorado
• Understand How Adolescent Marijuana Use Can Lead to Mental Illness and Psychosis
• Understand the Connection Between Marijuana and Suicide in Youth

Laura’s presentation titles may be changed to fit your conference theme or her topic focus. Here are some previous presentation titles:

• A Parent’s Worst Nightmare: How My Son Died from Marijuana Psychosis
• Saving Our Youth from the Harms of Marijuana: Adolescent Brain Development, Mental Health, and Suicide
• Legalized Marijuana’s Impact in Colorado: the Experiment on Our Youth and Bill 1317
• The Gifts of Grief: How I Survived My 19-Year-Old Son’s Suicide

Formats

Laura prefers a one-hour student assembly. At drug prevention conferences, she is generally the opening, luncheon, or closing keynote. Laura can also give a breakout following her keynote or a virtual webinar on these topics (reduced fee when added on):

• Delta-8, Delta-10, HHG, THC-O and A! Understanding the THC Alphabet Soup
• The Duty of Care for “Medical” Marijuana: How Law Enforcement and Prevention Professionals Can Keep THC Out of the Hands of Our Youth
• The Effects of Marijuana Legalization in Colorado: the Harsh Reality 20 Years Later
• CO HB 1317 Regulating Marijuana Concentrates: How Guardrails Were Put in Place in CO to protect our youth
• The Gifts of Grief: Unexpected Blessings After My Son’s Suicide

Sustainable Programming – no additional charge

1. Prior to Laura’s presentation, we offer a 10-question pre/post survey of students, so we can measure behavior and perception change before and after Laura’s presentation. A report is provided with the final metrics to give to your administration, coalition members, or board.
2. After Laura’s presentation, we can provide copies of our 16-page glossy bound Youth Marijuana Prevention Magazine to use in classes (taught by a teacher, not as a leave-behind).
3. If a student is caught with vapes or THC products at school, we offer a self-paced, 8-module online curriculum to use as a suspension alternative or education while in suspension at school.

Here is a sample of the results following a pre/post evaluation done with 489 students at a private high school in Indianapolis, IN. We want all students to DISAGREE with each statement, so the goal is following Laura’s presentation, students will more STRONGLY DISAGREE. You can see how the data tracks up (positively = more disagreement), which is exactly the result we want to prove the presentation has changed perceptions.

Audio-Visual Needs

Laura uses a PowerPoint show with a video. She requests a projector/screen and microphone. She prefers to operate her laptop (PC with built-in HDMI) from the front of the room. See this page for full requests.

Program Fees

All speaking fees are paid to the order of the nonprofit 501(c)3, Johnny’s Ambassadors, EIN 85-0593925.

Laura can give a maximum of three, one-hour assemblies in a day. Fees are reduced for multiple programs in one day. All three assemblies must be during the day (usually 1st, 2nd, and last periods). You can partner with neighboring schools or communities to split fees (90 minutes maximum distance).

Parent nights are NOT well attended (due to conflicts with sports, homework, dinner, childcare, etc.) and incur additional expenses (two hotel nights, car, meals, etc.). Johnny’s Ambassadors charges an additional $2,500 as program #3 if you still decide to hold a parent night. We recommend parent coffees or lunches, which are much better attended. You can also invite parents to attend the student assembly. Or forego the student assembly and hold a joint district student/parent night and give credit for attendance as an incentive to participate.

Options:
1. IN-PERSON presentation: flat fee plus travel (sometimes we have a grant to cover travel)
2. VIRTUAL WEBINAR presentation: complimentary use of our GoToWebinar platform if desired
3. VIDEO VIEWING: license to show a prior presentation to your group

Email [email protected] for more information on inviting Laura to speak at your meeting or check dates. Or fill out our Contact Form with the details of your event. Or download our program brochure, and our program fees are on the last page.

Marketing Handles

Laura’s Expertise

30-year for-profit entrepreneur of  The Productivity Pro® and Leadership USA and now Founder & CEO of Johnny’s Ambassadors.

Download our program brochure.

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