Monthly News & Updates

February 2024| Issue 30

Welcome to the Every Brain Matters monthly newsletter. We are a trusted educational resource for families wanting to stay safe from the harms of marijuana and the expanding drug crisis. We counter the false narratives pushed by the Big Cannabis industry with facts, statistics, peer-reviewed scientific data, and real-life stories. Most importantly, we support and advocate to protect families and communities.

Spotlight

"They are writhing, holding their stomach, complaining of really bad abdominal pain and nausea. They vomit and then just continue to vomit whatever they have in their stomach, which can go on for hours.”

~ Dr. Sam Wang, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Colorado

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, more commonly known as CHS, is an illness tied to cannabis use. It affects users of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.

CHS can present for the first time without warning, and thereafter, the user risks becoming violently and painfully ill every time they use marijuana.

And this means any marijuana at all.

Switching to edibles or concentrates, vaping instead of smoking, changing strains, opting for “pesticide-free” products, and even choosing products that only contain CBD instead of THC – none of that makes a difference.

Click the image to keep reading...

Listen to Sergio and Gladys Longoria describe how marijuana was killing their son and how they found hope.

Hope for Recovery - In this new era of industrialized THC, families need support, resources, and hope.

In March, We offer More Resources for Families.

Many families are calling for the use of involuntary commitment through the courts to help deal with the scourge of the opioid epidemic and, more recently, the high-dose THC cannabis. Florida’s Marchman Act allows families, friends, or those with knowledge of an individual with substance use disorder to get the afflicted person into treatment using the courts.

Read this article by Joe Considine and sign up for this presentation to learn about Flordia's Marchman Act and how about 50% of Mr. Considine's clients are suffering from cannabis-induced psychosis or

click the images below.

Access all our Family Recovery Resources here.

Voices of Marijuana Harms

Submit your testimony here.

Advocacy In Action

Sen. Pete Ricketts and Rep. Pete Sessions announced a resolution that calls for limits on “high-potency marijuana” products. Randy's Resolution urges Federal, State, and local governments to collaborate with public health organizations, medical professionals, and community stakeholders to develop evidence-based policies that address the public health and safety concerns associated with high-potency marijuana. The announcement came at the kickoff of the SAM Summit, with the courageous Bacchus family sharing the tragic loss of their son from the effects of high-potency marijuana.

Heidi Anderson-Swan was featured on Fox News speaking about how the California legislature and most of the media have ignored the mental health harms of THC.

Parent Action Network, SAM is focused on training parents and families to help them feel more comfortable educating their elected officials by telling their stories and advocating for science-based drug policy decisions that protect public Health. We focus mainly on bringing awareness to the negative impact marijuana legalization has had on our families- our families have suffered from addiction, suicide, second-hand exposure toxicity, psychosis, amotivational syndrome, and other harmful effects of marijuana use. If you are interested in becoming a PAN advocate, sign up on our webpage today. Because of your voices, we are seeing more decision-makers become aware of this drug's harmful effects on public health and safety. Become a part of PAN at https://learnaboutsam.org/pan/

We want to hear about the advocacy work you are doing to protect our families. Please contact us at info@everybrainmatters.org

Moment of Science

In 2016, Massachusetts voters legalized recreational marijuana. Roughly seven years later, doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital say a full third of adolescents who come in for routine check-ups report using marijuana, and a third of those kids are likely to develop hallucinations or paranoia, according to new research.

Nationwide, since 2019, the number of kids diagnosed with cannabis-induced mental disorders, including schizophrenia and psychotic episodes, has increased by 50%. Click here to read the full article.