Dabbing, a relatively recent and widespread method for consuming concentrated THC, involves the extraction of THC from the cannabis plant, often utilizing butane or propane (resulting in butane hash oil). Subsequent processing removes the residual butane, yielding a concentrated substance suitable for dabbing. This concentrate is then vaporized—either through a glass rig or a vaping device—producing an inhalable smoke that can be virtually odorless.

In 1995, the typical potency (THC level) of marijuana hovered around 4 percent. Presently, even ordinary marijuana buds available at a dispensary can boast a potency of 25 percent.

The state that fully embraced marijuana is now confronting the dark repercussions of a highly potent drug, particularly evident in the emergence of cannabis-induced psychosis, especially among teenagers.

Johnny, who commenced dabbing at the age of 16, underwent a stark transformation. Once a cheerful teenager with a 4.2 GPA, he began failing classes and withdrawing from social activities.

Described as a "very sweet, sensitive" individual, Johnny was initially brilliant, according to Laura. However, over time, he disengaged from all his pursuits, distancing himself from longtime friends and adopting a more defiant attitude.

Initially attributing the shift in behavior to typical teenage rebellion, Johnny's father believed they could overcome it, anticipating that he would eventually be fine.

At that point, neither parent made a connection to marijuana. They were unaware of dabbing, high-potency marijuana, or the potential for cannabis-induced psychosis.

College at 18

By mutual agreement, Johnny left home at the age of 18, driven by a desire to avoid following the household rules that restricted his marijuana use. Laura recounted, “He didn't want to follow our rules. We didn't want him to do marijuana. 'I love marijuana,' he told us.".

Upon entering Colorado State University in Fort Collins in August 2018, Johnny's daily dabbing habit had escalated.

"His addiction had steadily worsened, requiring him to do it frequently with high potency. Here he was, at 18, having engaged in this habit for a few years," shared Laura.

Later, John discovered that Johnny's randomly-assigned college roommate had chosen Colorado primarily for its convenient access to marijuana.

Two weeks into college, Laura received a distressing text from Johnny expressing nervousness about making friends. Her response was supportive, but Johnny's subsequent text revealed a dark revelation: "Is it perfectly natural to think about killing yourself every day?"

Alarmed, Laura and John promptly retrieved Johnny from college and disenrolled him. This marked the beginning of his first stint in a mental hospital, where he disclosed his continuous dabbing over the past two weeks with his roommate.

After the mandatory 72-hour hold, Johnny was released. Laura pleaded with the hospital not to release him, fearing he would attempt suicide, citing the lingering effects of marijuana in his system. Tragically, her concerns materialized when, upon returning home, Johnny tried to hang himself in his bedroom closet. The police intervened, and Johnny was taken to the hospital, exhibiting signs of psychosis and suicidal tendencies.

Johnny remained in the hospital for several weeks until the marijuana cleared from his system. The Mayo Clinic notes that marijuana can be detected in a chronic user's urine for more than 30 days after the last use.

Over the next three months, from September to December, Laura observed Johnny's sobriety. During this period, he resided at home, worked at a kennel, and attended classes to address his anxiety.

Expressing his readiness to return to college, Johnny conveyed a desire for a different campus. Laura noted, "He seemed fine and really ready," prompting them to send him to the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.

However, a few weeks into the semester, Johnny resumed dabbing. By April, he exhibited signs of delusion.

"I received a call at three o'clock in the morning, where he claimed his phone and dorm were bugged—utterly irrational talk," shared Laura.

Despite Johnny's deteriorating mental state, the HIPAA health privacy laws, applicable to a 19-year-old, prevented his parents from accessing his medical information.

Laura expressed frustration with the system, stating, "Here's my child, addicted, sick, psychotic, and suicidal, and nobody will help me. Part of the mental illness from this cannabis-induced psychosis is that they think their thinking is normal, and that you're the weird one."

She recounted Johnny's assertions, "There's nothing wrong with my brain. Yes, my phone is bugged. Yes, they are listening to me. Yes, the FBI does think I'm a terrorist."

Despite their concern, Laura and John were left helpless as Johnny, attending the University of Northern Colorado, believed the mob was after him, with the institution withholding information from them.

Eventually, Johnny was admitted to another mental hospital for an extended stay. Doctors experimented with various antipsychotic medications in an attempt to stabilize him while acknowledging that his brain's recovery could take 6 to 12 months, if at all.

Emerging Concerns for Young Minds

Dr. Christian Thurstone, a child and addiction psychiatrist at Denver Health since 2004, emphasizes the detrimental impact of marijuana on developing brains. He notes, "We know that there are strong associations between adolescent marijuana use and psychosis."

Highlighting that the brain continues to develop until the age of 25, Thurstone observes an increasing number of young individuals entering his treatment program with cannabis-induced psychosis due to the use of highly potent marijuana.

"In many cases, it's reversible in about two months," Thurstone explains. "But I've also seen it go the other direction, leading to chronic schizophrenia."

Scientific evidence underscores the correlation between adolescent marijuana use and a two- to four-fold increase in the risk of developing schizophrenia, as stated by Thurstone. The National Institute on Drug Abuse warns that higher doses of THC are more likely to induce anxiety, agitation, paranoia, and psychosis. Concentrated cannabis, such as that found in dabs, heightens the risk of physical dependence and addiction.

Marijuana dependence occurs as the brain adapts to large drug quantities, reducing the production of and sensitivity to its own endocannabinoid neurotransmitters, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Contrary to the argument that increased potency might lead to less frequent use, Thurstone contradicts this notion based on his observations. "The amount of THC in the urine of adolescents seeking substance treatment is actually going up," he notes.

This Altered Johnny Stack’s Child's Life

Johnny transitioned from the mental hospital to Urban Peak, a program center in Denver.

"It was really beneficial for him," Laura remarked. "They helped him achieve sobriety, and we secured a rental for him. He also found a job at Panera."

By June, Johnny appeared to be making progress. He worked at PetSmart, and Laura and John added a dog to their family, acting as emotional support. Johnny even enrolled in a class at Colorado Technical University.

Unbeknownst to them, he had ceased taking his anti-psychotics, and later they discovered he had resumed dabbing.

"Out of the blue, he announced, 'I'm not going to use weed anymore. I'm determined to be a better person and reclaim my life,'" Laura shared.

In November, during a family dinner, Johnny opened up about his addiction, acknowledging, "I want you to know you were right. You warned me that marijuana would harm my brain, and it has ruined my mind and my life. I'm truly sorry.".

Three days later, on November 20, 2019, Johnny tragically took his own life by jumping off a six-story building.

"He didn't share that with me that time, and I regret it every day. I saw him and talked to him daily, but not that day. I could have intervened, but I... He must have been in so much pain," lamented Laura. "While I believe he's no longer in pain and is in Heaven, I have many regrets and so much I didn't know. We could have done more if we had known. I'm just so angry. This took my child."

Although marijuana wasn't in Johnny's system at the time of his death, his journals revealed persistent delusions.

"Even though he had stopped using marijuana, the psychosis persisted," Laura explained. "Sometimes, even after discontinuing marijuana, it triggers a lasting mental illness. This is happening to many of our children."

Is History Repeating Itself with Big Tobacco?

Thurstone draws parallels between the marijuana industry and the creation of Big Tobacco.

"Alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco are all extensively commercialized and marketed, especially towards youth. This is evident in marijuana edibles with sweet flavors, vibrant colors, and eye-catching packaging," he remarked.

While serving on the Colorado governor's marijuana task force in 2012, Thurstone unsuccessfully advocated for plain packaging for edibles.

"Alcohol and tobacco companies derive their profits from heavy users, a habit typically initiated in adolescence, making up 80 percent of their industry profit," Thurstone explained. He emphasized that delaying substance use in adolescence reduces the risk of addiction, with alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco all posing risks to brain development.

In Colorado, adolescent marijuana use is on the rise in terms of frequency and dosage. The 2019 Healthy Kids Colorado survey revealed an increase in high school students using marijuana 20 to 39 times in the past month from 1.7 percent in 2017 to 2.8 percent in 2019Thurstone noted that a significant portion of youth in his substance treatment program acquires marijuana through the medical route, as 18-year-olds can obtain a medical marijuana card, whereas the legal age for recreational use is 21. He expressed concern about high schoolers obtaining medical marijuana cards and becoming dealers.

Another observation is the discrepancy in adolescent marijuana use between counties with and without dispensaries. For instance, Douglas County, without dispensaries, has a past-month use rate of 13 percent, while Denver County, with numerous marijuana shops, has a rate of 25 percent.

A significant portion of Thurstone's patients come through the juvenile justice system. Efforts are underway to address this by intervening before a child drops out of school and becomes entangled in the juvenile justice system.

Thurstone advocates for placing treatment in non-traditional settings like schools, emphasizing the need to increase the abysmal 6 percent rate of adolescents receiving necessary substance treatment.

Treatment

Addressing marijuana addiction typically involves treating both the physical addiction and any co-occurring mental health issues, as stated by Thurstone.

He noted that 80 percent of the adolescents he encounters exhibit co-occurring psychiatric issues, such as depression or anxiety, often coupled with a history of trauma, including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.

When dealing with adolescents addicted to marijuana, motivation for change is often low. Thurstone employs a method that involves providing motivational rewards to help them reshape their lives, making life more enticing than substance use.

"We achieve better outcomes when we address both simultaneously. Treating just the depression or anxiety won't suffice; we need to tackle the addiction as well," he emphasized. Thurstone highlighted the significance of a warm, loving relationship between parents/caregivers and their children/adolescents as a potent tool for prevention and recovery.

The link between marijuana use and suicide is evident, according to Thurstone. In Colorado, suicide was the leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 18 between 2013 and 2017, according to the state's health department.

Statistics from the Colorado Department of Health show an increase in suicides among 15 to 19-year-olds from 48 in 2004 to 75 in 2017. In 2004, 26 percent of these individuals had alcohol in their bodies at the time, while 15 percent had marijuana. In 2017, those figures shifted to 9 percent with alcohol and 32 percent with marijuana.

Thurstone emphasized the seriousness of marijuana use among adolescents and urged parents to be aware of the issue.

Johnny’s Ambassadors

In April, Laura and John initiated the launch of Johnny’s Ambassadors.

Their primary goal is to enlighten parents and teenagers about the hazards of high-THC marijuana, the intricacies of adolescent brain development, and the connection to suicide.

Laura explained their motivation, stating, “We just decided that the best way that we could keep his spirit alive was to help him tell people what he told us—that marijuana ruined my mind and my life.

Johnny’s Ambassadors is presently in the process of fundraising to create a curriculum aimed at educating teenagers beyond the confines of the classroom.

To support parents, Laura conducts a weekly expert webinar series. The organization also boasts a group of 60 members dedicated to parents of teenagers grappling with cannabis-induced psychosis. Laura receives weekly calls from concerned parents seeking guidance on how to navigate this challenging situation.

"I’m just determined to tell as many people as I can. So that they’re warned. So the parents know, it’s just not this harmless thing," she emphasized. "I just can’t bear the thought of this happening to anybody else, it’s so horrible. And it’s totally preventable."