In honor of Johnny Stack’s 7th Angelversary, Johnny’s Ambassadors Publications is pleased to announce the release of our new 336-page research report, The State of Youth Marijuana Use: Trends in the Prevalence and Harms of Youth Marijuana Use in the United States.
Now available on Amazon in print or kindle or as a PDF download with your donation to remember Johnny.
Dearest Johnny’s Ambassadors,
On November 20, 2026, it will be seven years since my beloved 19-year-old son, Johnny, took his life. It’s hard to believe it’s been seven years.
When Johnny was experiencing Cannabis-Induced Psychosis, we couldn’t find anyone to help us. No one understood what was happening or that it was related to his THC use. No one told him to stop. No one thought it was addictive or that marijuana could do that. Insurance wouldn’t pay for anything, and there were no “treatment” programs, because hey, it wasn’t addictive. The doctors all said his psychosis and suicidality had to be the onset of schizophrenia, even though we have no mental illness in our family.
Sadly, after he died, we learned so much more about the connection between youth THC use, brain development, addiction, psychosis, and suicide. So, Johnny’s Ambassadors was born after Johnny died—not a very good replacement—but better than crying for the rest of my life.
Seven years later, Johnny’s Ambassadors has 20,000 members, and sadly, 3,000 Parents of Children with Cannabis-Induced Psychosis (POCCIP). That’s why Johnny’s Ambassadors exists. To keep your child from going down that path. To try to help parents whose children are going through it. To try to prevent teens from trying it in the first place. To save lives. And it’s working with the ones we touch. We need to reach more!
I’ve been frustrated over the years by all the disparate research on youth marijuana use. It’s spread all over the place, federally, state-wide, and locally. It’s hard to get your arms around the overall state of youth marijuana use in the U.S., so I decided to publish it myself.
The State of Youth Marijuana Use aims to be the most comprehensive overview to date of youth marijuana use and related outcomes. In line with Johnny’s Ambassadors’ focus on education and prevention rather than advocacy, the report does not endorse or oppose specific marijuana policies. Instead, the report attempts to present data in a balanced way, allowing readers to come to their own conclusions and use the information however they so choose.
Chapter 1 summarizes the latest trends in youth marijuana use, while Chapter 2 examines the risk and protective factors that underlie youth marijuana use. Chapter 3 explores the associations between youth marijuana use and non-substance outcomes, such as mental health, academic performance, and antisocial behavior. Chapters 4 and 5 highlight various health outcomes, including deaths and emergency department visits. Chapter 6 covers additional topics related to marijuana use, including arrests for the possession of marijuana, individuals driving under the influence of marijuana and public opinion. Chapter 7 reviews interventions that are focused on preventing the initiation of youth marijuana use and helping current users quit.
No single report can capture every aspect of youth marijuana use. Even so, we hope this resource will help parents, prevention professionals, advocates, and policymakers better understand the available evidence. Please support our efforts to improve the health and well-being of young people and their communities by preventing youth marijuana use.
The report is available as a printed book on Amazon if you prefer a hardcopy or kindle version. If you would rather have a digital PDF for copying/pasting text in your work, donate any amount in honor of Johnny’s Angelversary, and you’ll receive a link to download it.
If you prefer to mail a check, fill out the donation form on this page and mail it to Johnny’s Ambassadors, 4242 Hickory Oaks Street, Castle Rock, CO 80104. For DAF accounts, please use EIN 85-0593925. From your phone, text johnny7 to 5129205521.
Thank you for supporting our work and helping us save our youth from the harms of THC. Your love has saved me. I promise you I will fight to save the lives of our children with every bit of strength I have left in my days.
With gratitude and love,
Laura
As a small token of our appreciation for your donation remembering Johnny, you will receive a digital PDF copy our brand-new 336-page publication, The State of Youth Marijuana Use: Trends in the Prevalence and Harms of Youth marijuana Use in the United States.
Publisher: Johnny’s Ambassadors Publishing ©2026
Language: English
Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN: 9798164428846
TABLE of CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: Marijuana Use and Cannabis Use Disorder
A. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health
B. The Monitoring the Future Survey
C. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey
D. Additional Surveys
CHAPTER 2: Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Youth Marijuana Use
A. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health
B. The Monitoring the Future Survey
C. State-Level Estimates
CHAPTER 3: The Correlates of Youth Marijuana Use
A. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health
B. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey
C. The Monitoring the Future Survey
D. State-Level Estimates
CHAPTER 4: Marijuana-Related Mortality
A. National Estimates
B. State-Level Estimates
CHAPTER 5: Marijuana-Related Emergency Department Visits and Inpatient Hospitalizations
A. National Estimates
B. State-Level Estimates
CHAPTER 6: Additional Outcomes Associated with Youth Marijuana Use
A. Additional Outcomes
B. Public Opinion
CHAPTER 7: Interventions
A. Prevention
B. Treatment
C. Recovery
D. Enforcement and RestrictionsD. Enforcement and Restrictions
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“There is substantial evidence of a statistical association between cannabis use and the development of schizophrenia or other psychoses, with the highest risk among the most frequent users.” The State of Youth Marijuana Use, johnnysambassadors.org/research-report #johnnysambassadors @johnnykstack
“Substances with the highest levels of use in 2025, specifically cannabis, alcohol, and vaping devices, also placed in the top three in terms of perceived availability.” The State of Youth Marijuana Use, johnnysambassadors.org/research-report #johnnysambassadors @johnnykstack
“44.1% of past-month marijuana users in grades 8 and 10 said that they had been under the influence of marijuana or another drug while they were at school on at least one day during the last four weeks.” The State of Youth Marijuana Use, johnnysambassadors.org/research-report #johnnysambassadors @johnnykstack