What Johnny's Ambassador's Does for Awareness & Support

There is a difference between hard and soft drugs—isn’t there? According to A Very Well Mind, hard drugs are usually thought of as highly addictive drugs that require more direct access to the bloodstream. Soft drugs are, well, marijuana. Maybe mushrooms. Once upon a time, their risk might have been lower than crack or heroin, but as the founder of Johnny’s Ambassadors, Inc. discovered in the worst possible way, marijuana is getting more and more dangerous.

Johnny’s Story

Laura Stack founded Johnny’s Ambassadors after her son, Johnny, died by suicide after using potent marijuana dabs. The Stacks live in Colorado, the first state to legalize marijuana. As we’ve discussed previously, just because something is legal does not mean it is healthy. Cigarettes, alcohol, and doughnuts are all legal, but they can ruin lives, especially when consumed in excess.

Johnny started dabbing at fourteen. While legal marijuana is obviously not meant for that age group, there are implications that legalizing the substance makes it more accessible to adolescents. Legalization also allows many versions of marijuana to exist, such as edibles—and the oil used in dabbing.

Whatever your view of marijuana legalization, it is generally accepted that marijuana use at a young age affects the developing mind. One area in which it’s known to wreak havoc is the prefrontal cortex, which helps control impulsive behavior. Due to frequent use of high-potency THC, Johnny experienced repeated episodes of Cannabis-Induced Psychosis, which triggered a paranoia that ran deep even when he wasn’t using.

Johnny left a note saying he believed the mob was after him, his college was an FBI base, and all of his private information had been exposed to the world. Then he jumped from a 6-story building.

How can you help?

Like many brave parents left behind in the wake of a drug-related tragedy, Laura decided to “give her pain a purpose.” She formed Johnny’s Ambassadors, Inc. to help raise awareness about high-potency marijuana and its effects on youth.

Her prevention model is as follows:

Invite Laura as a guest speaker.
Purchase Laura’s book.
Start an 8-week book club based on her textbook and discussion guide.
Assign an online teen marijuana curriculum in schools.
Use Laura’s PowerPoint kit for additional education within the community.
View webinar videos.
Distribute their magazine on teen marijuana prevention.
Start a social media campaign.
Host a #StopDabbing walk.
Become one of Johnny’s ambassadors.

There are countless stories of cannabis-induced psychosis, and some do have happy endings. Some, like Johnny Stack’s, do not. But the saddest thing is that all of the stories are preventable. We just need to take Laura’s advice, follow her lead, and work to prevent marijuana use in the community—especially among adolescents.