The Cannabis Hype & How it Hurts our Youth
My beautiful 25-year-old, athletic son Alex died from an accidental fentanyl overdose. His drug-seeking journey began with cannabis. He used to tell me that he would “on occasion” use cannabis edibles or inhale it to sleep better. “Mom, don’t worry, it is safe and healthy”, these were his words. Of course, I was concerned and tried to make him consider healthier options because I saw him struggle whenever he came over to visit with me. I was aware that he needed comprehensive trauma healing approaches to deal with his anxieties and not substances that just treat symptoms. On Christmas of 2019, Alex told me about his drug addiction, which began at age 19, when his anxieties were so intense that stronger strains of cannabis weren’t enough but actually worsened his anxieties and he began to take Xanax, a prescription sedative. Initially, Xanax made him feel more relaxed, confident, and helped him sleep better. But eventually, the paradoxical effect of the substances worsened his anxiety and deepened the downward spiraling of higher use of cannabis and Xanax. Tolerance formation in action! By then my son was suffering from one of the worst multi-faceted syndromes that anyone can experience: addiction.
Alex’s cannabis use represents a common pattern for vulnerable young and undeveloped brains: regular and high potency use that leads to stronger drugs. He began to use higher potency THC concentrates through dabbing, meaning the inhaling of vaporized cannabis. Here is my son, a boy who used to say, “yuck, they smoke weed, Mom….”, or,” let’s go faster, there is cigarette smoke in the air…”, or, at age 14, …” I hate the taste of beer”.
I have no objections to the adult-use of cannabis. Rather I am hopeful that serious research independent from funding by the cannabis industry will bring more amazing new insights and hope, such as the already successful cannabis-derived treatment for rare forms of childhood seizures, as well as three synthetic cannabis related drugs for the treatment of Aids related loss of appetite and severe nausea and vomiting from cancer chemotherapy. I believe in the responsible, scientifically-evidenced, and wise use of such substances, especially because they are potentially addictive to the young brain. Proponents of cannabis often talk about the natural and ancient nature of weed. Except, today’s weed has changed. It is stronger, made in labs in larger quantities and often lack standardized testing for potency and safety. And those ancient cultures used plant substances within the context of their inherited cultural scope with rituals for healing deeply entrenched in village life.
What most of the public does not know about today’s cannabis is its absurdly high levels of THC, the psychoactive ingredient that provides the “high”, and which brings the profit. Those substances can be dangerous for brains that are not fully developed until at least the age of 25. I am concerned to see this corporate-run tobacco-industry-like-strategy: the profit is in getting consumers hooked. Studies show that regular use of potent THC cannabis at a young age can lead to a 5-times higher likelihood to develop psychosis and a 7-times higher risk for suicide. My son was an example of how initial low doses of cannabis that provided the desired effect quickly became ineffective with a need to use higher potencies. With poly-substance addictions including cannabis, the substances mutually reinforce each other. An unimaginable nightmare!
Well done Big Cannabis! Seeing advertisements in local papers, billboards making weed look like the next “Got Milk?” ad, online stores and talks about new dispensaries in town, all combined over time creates a sense of normalcy around cannabis. Legalization itself supports the “it’s just weed” belief. And it allowed for the shameless promotion without considering the most important, the placing of safeguards (warning labels, THC potency restrictions, neutral packaging and more) to protect our highly vulnerable kids and teens from these addictive substances.
Instead, today’s dispensaries sell cookies, sodas, candies with THC concentrations as high as 50-90%, with packaging that resemble familiar candy brands, sodas in all rainbow colors, and deliciously flavored pot and vapes…?!
Not bad, compared to the good, old joint from the ’60s or ’70s with its 2-4%. Makes it look like a wallflower compared to today’s products with names like Cheetah Piss (20%), 2090 Shit cookies (30.57%), Girl Scout Cookies (19%), Cherry Pie vaping extract (72.40%), Gorilla Glue strain (28%), Bubba’s Deadhead Girl concentrate (80%!!!), Leef’s Cheese Quake oil (88%!!!!). Skeptic already? I highly recommend looking at some cannabis online stores to find out what commercialization brought along.
Candy pot! Really?
But this is far from it all! Dispensaries sell more than weed: pens, pipes, hookahs, rigs, bangers and portable vaporizers, and e-rigs. Are you confused already? I was too when I entered this world and began to read all about it after my son died. Dabbing, for example, has become one of the more popular forms of consumption for cannabis. It creates a more potent high with faster-acting effects than smoking pot. Notably, The American Lung Association as well as the WHO warn of serious health risks from vaping. When I cleaned out my son’s car after he died, I found empty soda bottles, cookie wrappers that contained THC as well as a glass rig. At that time, I did not even know any of those existed!
Teens know exactly how to get their substances, from online venues, social media, to shoulder tapping a friend. Studies confirm that easy access increases youth use. In my inquiries to learn about the world of cannabis and addiction, I talked to many of my son’s friends who confirm that it was super easy to buy almost any drug at his high school, from cannabis to heavy prescriptions. And students who use or sell are the first to find out where substances are sold in the county, no matter what town. They seem to have a well-connected undercover service. My son had a fake cannabis ID card signed by a “doctor” from a dispensary in San Francisco who knew nothing about the intensity of Alex’s anxieties and trauma background.
Why do youth use? Because by their very nature they seek risk, and also because many of them deal with serious stress and anxiety. Sources of stress have been increasing, including competition, school and college expectations, social media, bullying, planetary crisis, racial injustice, and the list goes on.
Let’s look at the whole picture for a moment: our nation suffers a serious mental health crisis that has gotten worse since COVID-19. Our youth vape, eat and smoke cannabis at unprecedented rates. In Marin alone, 11th graders score highest in vaping among California peers. And, stoned driving adds another significant risk factor for our community. A 10-year Washington study by AAA shows a clear jump of fatal car accidents per year with drivers testing positive for THC since cannabis became legalized.
Pot stores to the rescue?
The cannabis industry has invaded our communities with city councils and leaders heavily influenced and “educated” by lobbyists who make tax revenues and residents’ health sound like an attractive escape from COVID-19-strained budgets. Here in Marin, we already have plenty of online stores that provide adults with cannabis deliveries, besides access to San Francisco’s over 30 dispensaries.
I want to shout into the universe, “Stop the madness!” As if alcohol, opioids and our addiction crisis aren’t enough of an epidemic to deal with. We are not promoting nor healing our community in adding another highly addictive substance for easy avail.
Just because cannabis is going mainstream does not mean it is a good thing. We only have to look at alcohol or tobacco. Children look to their parents for guidance. I believe that our culture has taken a position of convenience when it comes to substance use of any kind. We want things “fixed” because our lives don’t seem to allow otherwise. Instead, there is so much we can do to reclaim our very own innate powers to heal and help re-regulate our emotional ups and downs, from mindfulness practices, therapies, and other healthy lifestyle changes. So much is about sitting in the driver’s seat again and depending less on drugs.
That is what my son Alex wanted more than anything. He began a detox program in January 2020, but due to Covid-19 the lack of medical supervision worked against him, as did the sources of stress around him that were beyond his control. The addiction affected all that was most dear to him: his relationships, his athleticism, his school and work capacity, traveling and so much more.
There are many other amazing kids who got lost and found cannabis, and, sadly, for many of them it led to the use of heavier drugs. Stigma keeps parents from speaking out loud, but there are many untold stories.
We need to protect our vulnerable kids from access at their fingertips.
Cannabis is NOT safe for young brains!
I hope that each city council has a serious discussion before they vote on cannabis retail. After all, it is our public leaders’ responsibility to keep the community safe and healthy for all.
We need that.
Written: January 2021, Revised March 2022
For extensive information on cannabis and the adverse effects on young brains, visit https://johnnysambassadors.org/
