From Robert B., writing to two prominent podcasters on THC in athletics:
My daughter, Shana, who is 14, listened to some of your other podcasts earlier in the year and learned so much from you both, as she pursues her running dreams. You were even kind enough to respond to a few of her running questions, which I truly appreciated.
However, her older brother nearly died, twice, from using today’s high potency THC.
“Luckily” he got Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) so bad a month ago (that was the 2nd time in 20 months – a stint in rehab was in between) that he swore off the use of THC in any form (vaping, smoking, dabbing) ever again.
Chances are he will have slips, but hopefully not. He still idolizes the drug because insanely many in our national media and national politics are supporting and idolizing it as well, most likely focussing on possible economic reasons, reasons entirely divorced from heath concerns!
The first time our son developed CHS, 20 months ago, an uneducated emergency room doctor told our son he probably just had a virus. He was ready to quit vaping THC just before, but the ignorance of the doctor about the harmful effects of today’s THC lost us 20 months, and led to much more damage to our son’s brain, heart and lungs than otherwise may have occurred, because he was able to say, “See, my illness is just a virus, not due to any poisonous effects of THC.”
(Wrong!) See the article below about CHS put out by Cedars-Sinai.
Here was a healthy, sweet 13 year old boy, that college soccer scouts were already interested in, and who got straight A’s in 7th grade, that then lost all interest in soccer and school during 8th grade, after he started to vape, smoke, and dab THC. He failed all his classes in 9th and half of 10 grade, before just recently starting to turn things around.
Please be part of the solution, and not part of the problem, when it comes to talking about the use of THC.
There is literally no good reason for anyone to put that poison into their system. No matter what their age.
I have CCd Laura Stack on this email in case you ever want to reach out to her yourself for more information.
You two are a great pair, and are situated to really be a positive influence, not only to kids, but to runners of all ages. Before you ever say a kind word about THC again, or say that a ban on THC is bad for athletes, again, please read Laura Stack’s recently published book, The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana, subtitled Johnny Stack’s Life and Death Story.