In 1990, Congress officially established the first full week of October as Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW). Advocates such as Johnny’s Ambassadors have worked together to sponsor activities to educate the public about mental illness. This year, Mental Illness Awareness Week is October 6-12, and World Mental Health Day is October 10.… Read the rest
Register now for the Glad to Be #THCFree: Unlocking the Power of a Drug-Free Life! Webinar
Even if you can’t attend in person, REGISTER ANYWAY, and you’ll automatically receive the recording the following day, whether you attended or not.

In celebration of #StopDabbing Day, this year on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, Johnny’s Ambassadors is offering a FREE webinar with Certified Johnny’s Ambassadors Trainer, Hannah Palmer!… Read the rest
Trends in Substance-Related Visits Among Youth to US Children’s Hospitals, 2016-2021: An Analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System Database

A March 2024 study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health is shedding light on a troubling trend: a significant increase in visits to children’s hospitals for substance-related issues.
The study’s authors—who include Alexis Ball of Seattle Children’s Hospital and Scott Hadland of MassGeneral Hospital for Children—examined data from the Pediatric Health Information System database, which has records from over 49 children’s hospitals across the United States.… Read the rest
Marijuana Dispensaries Sell to Thousands of Minors Every Year

“Cannabis retailers are not selling to minors and their products are not being diverted to the underage market.”
That’s what NORML, an advocacy group in favor of legalizing marijuana, promises on its website. But the data reveals a different story.… Read the rest
Association Between Non-Medical Cannabis Legalization and Emergency Department Visits for Cannabis-Induced Psychosis

In 2018, the Cannabis Act legalized recreational cannabis across Canada, making it the second country to pass such legislation, after Uruguay. Now, Canadians as young as 18 can purchase the drug—even though a growing body of research shows that cannabis use is particularly dangerous to the adolescent brain, as it negatively affects neurocognitive performance, brain development, and brain functioning.… Read the rest
Cannabis Use Is Associated with Depression Severity and Suicidality in the National Comorbidity Survey—Adolescent Supplement

Over recent years, people in the United States have become more aware of the nation’s mental health crisis. And there’s been a lot of concern surrounding mental health and American youth in particular, considering that 11%–17% of teens in the country experience major depression in their lives, putting them at a higher risk of suicide.… Read the rest
Factors Associated with the Use of Cannabis for Self-Medication by Adults: Data from the French TEMPO Cohort Study

Medical and recreational cannabis are illegal in France. But that hasn’t stopped its residents from using the substance. In fact, a study in 2021 shows that France has one of the highest levels of cannabis use among European countries.
Solène Wallez, among seven other researchers, set out to understand why French residents are prone to using cannabis to self-medicate.… Read the rest
Will you please help Johnny’s Ambassadors save lives?
Dearest Johnny’s Ambassadors,
I hope this letter finds you happy and well! John and I are so grateful for your active participation and support of Johnny’s Ambassadors Youth THC Prevention. Your gifts have helped us save countless youth from the harms of THC.… Read the rest
Cannabis Use and Suicide in Non-Affective Psychosis: A Mini-Review of Recent Literature

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the suicide rate in the United States has been rising steadily since 1999—including for teenagers. Suicide isn’t just a U.S.-crisis, either. From 1990, global yearly deaths by suicide have risen by 20,000.… Read the rest
The Health Hazards of Legalizing Marijuana

In May 2024, the U.S. Senate again introduced legislation to federally legalize cannabis.
This proposed legislation comes on the heels of a Pew Research Center poll conducted in January 2024. The poll found that 88% of American adults think marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use.… Read the rest