Parents of Children with Cannabis-Induced Psychosis (CIP) – Episode 14: I was in denial

Not my son!! How could this happen? I raised my son to have a healthy fear of drugs and alcohol. We raised our kids in a sober home. I was the director of Celebrate Recovery for years.

One Easter also happened to be 420 Day. We drove into Denver to attend an Easter service and smelled marijuana. My son was repulsed by it and said he would never touch it.

Fast forward, at 18 years old, he began to exhibit both physical and mental health challenges. We were dealing with his chronic Lyme disease and also mold exposure. I actually took him to a medical cannabis specialist in Boulder, which I regret so much. He thought cannabis might help him with inflammation and anxiety, so my son got a “medical” marijuana card. He refused to follow up with the doctor and began to abuse cannabis.

My son’s moods became extreme. He became mean, grandiose, and paranoid. During the pandemic, my son became focused on conspiracy theories. He was convinced the government is evil and trying to control us.

After an intervention, he went to the Raleigh House for 90 days, followed by 90 days of an Intensive Outpatient Program, but the pandemic limited the support he was provided. My son was sane and grounded for about 8 months. But he soon exhibited signs of cannabis abuse. His eyes were dark, his moods erratic, and he refused treatment. I had to have him leave my home because he was so scary.

Without going into full details, my son has experienced homelessness, mental hospital stays, and jail. I can’t begin to tell you how sad, anxious, and completely helpless this made me feel.

My son has been incarcerated for 8 months and is now sober and sane. He recently was sentenced to prison for his last psychotic break, which had him in a chase from the police. I believe incarceration is what my son needs, as he would not stay away from marijuana and would not comply with medication or recovery.

But believe me when I say I was in denial. I believed that my son was okay because he was not using heavy drugs. I believed Cannabis to be pretty benign. I even voted for legalized marijuana in Colorado in 2012. Now I know THC IS a heavy drug. My son’s marijuana use ruined his life.

Cannabis-Induced Psychosis is REAL. It happened to my child. Educate your child on the harms of THC at JohnnysAmbassadors.org.

If you’re concerned about your child’s THC use, visit https://JohnnysAmbassadors.org/parents and join our private Parents of Children with Cannabis-Induced Psychosis (POCCIP) group at   / poccip  .