My name is Dr. Patricia Jones Blessman. I am a retired licensed clinical psychologist. In the fall of 2019, as Illinois was rushing headlong towards marijuana legalization, my godson’s mother called from the hospital. She described symptoms that sounded like an acute psychotic crisis. She said my godson had been drug tested and the only thing showing up was THC. I said. “It couldn’t just be marijuana. Marijuana doesn’t do that to people. Have him drug tested again.” To my shock, the second drug test came back only positive for THC.
I have known my Godson before he was even born. I didn’t know if I would ever have children, so I am thankful his mom shared him with me. I love and treat my godson like he is my son. When I held him for the first time, I was filled with hope, imagining all the wonderful opportunities ahead of him.
This little bundle of joy grew to be a bright and spunky toddler who loved to play. As a child and into adolescence, he was outgoing and gregarious. He had lots of friends, he was funny, and his smile lit up a room. Six years after his birth, I too had a son, so my son and my godson grew up together. Our families got together frequently for church and weekend sleepovers, and we shared holidays and summer vacations. My only son shares his godbrother’s middle name. Although six years apart, my son and my godson have a very special bond.
As a teen, my godson became a soccer phenom. By high school, he was already playing in international soccer leagues. He had a Division 1 college scholarship and was considered to have some of the fastest feet in the sport. He was even being considered as a potential Olympiad.
But then, I watched helplessly as my godson’s potential, promise, and possibilities evaporated because of cannabis and his struggle to overcome his addiction to it. Through my godson’s experience, I learned that marijuana was not the weed of my youth. There’s a silent epidemic and denial of the extent of THC usage and its devastating impact on our young people. This is happening in private and public schools, in rural communities, in under-resourced communities, and in wealthy suburban enclaves.
I don’t want to see today’s THC destroy the hopes, dreams, gifts, and futures of our young people, be it my son…or yours. Cannabis-Induced Psychosis is REAL. It happened to my godson. Educate yourself and especially your child on the harms of THC at JohnnysAmbassadors.org.
If you’re concerned about your child’s THC use, visit JohnnysAmbassadors.org/parents and join our private Parents of Children with Cannabis-Induced Psychosis (POCCIP) group at www.facebook.com/groups/POCCIP.