Monthly News & Updates

August 2023 | Issue 24

The Every Brain Matters community educates about the health and environmental dangers of marijuana and the drug culture expansion by providing support for families and advocacy based on lived experiences and science.

Families are unprepared for this new era of industrialized marijuana, and the public is being grossly misinformed about marijuana products and their many negative effects, such as cannabis use disorder, cannabis-induced psychosis, and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. We believe this is a public health crisis. No matter how much the drug culture expands, we will “Keep On Keepin On” because we wholeheartedly know that Every Brain Matters.

Spotlight

Mar-anon families developed the following letter, which has been approved by people recovering from cannabis-induced psychosis. Click the letter to enlarge it.

Back To School Fundraiser

The Every Brain Matters community has the perfect fundraiser that provides an effective resource that empowers youth to make informed decisions.

Please donate to us; we will ship you this 24" x 36" poster.

1 poster for a donation of $150.00

3 posters for a donation of $300.00 ($100.00 a poster)

5 posters for a donation of $400.00 ($80.00 a poster)

10 posters for a donation of $600.00 ($60.00 a poster)

Testimonies

Hannah Palmer, pursuing a career in drug education and prevention.

College students and marijuana culture

Marijuana is everywhere. The drug has become much more prevalent since it has been promoted and deemed safe by society. I have a handful of friends who use it daily, and honestly, this has become a collegiate norm. Taking a hit from a vape or dab pen regularly is just something people do. It is like the elephant in the room. Everyone knows they shouldn't. Everyone sees the toll it takes on their body. But no one wants to address it. Recently I have had two friends completely stop dabbing. Both of them look back and wish they had quit sooner. In their words, they said it made them more stupid, slow, and lazy. Since quitting, they saw improvements in their mental and physical health. It baffles me how many people struggle with using and recognizing a decline in their overall well-being, yet no one talks about it. I am grateful some friends are seeing what life looks like drug-free, but they only represent a small minority. If we want to see more lives changed, we need everyone on board. Whether you've never used, currently use, or quit using, your voice is so important.

The effects of industrialized THC are real. Please share these stories to help raise awareness.

Hope for Recovery

The Every Brain Matters Community offers support meetings for families affected by marijuana use.

Weekly Climbers Meeting - Join us every Wednesday at 7 pm CST.

A professional counselor leads this weekly online support group for families affected by a loved one's marijuana use. We allow open discussions in order to share ideas, experiences, strengths, and hope. We ask for a donation to compensate for the professional expertise that is provided, but this is not a requirement to attend.

Join us for our next Speakers Meeting!

In this new era of industrialized THC, families need support and hope. We gain courage and strength by hearing other people's valuable experiences about recovery and grief. Click the image to register for this meeting.

Recovery Questions For Families

How does a family respond to a loved one with destructive behaviors, such as using marijuana or any drug? The following answers and opinions are from clinical staff, youth in recovery, and parents.

Advocacy In Action

From Our Freinds at the Parent Action Network.

CNN will air the latest installment of Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s pro-marijuana series, "Weed", on Sunday, August 6th. The next episode, “Weed 7: A Senior Moment,” will air on The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper. Through this series, CNN continues to advance the narrative that marijuana is a medicine, this time targeting seniors.

Click here. Let's tell CNN that marijuana should not be promoted as medicine. It has severe mental and physical health risks.

The Every Brain Matters community is growing. We need your help supporting and advocating for families. The following volunteer positions are open and may lead to paid positions as we raise more funding.

*Volunteer coordinators

organize volunteers, establish state chapters, arrange for appropriate training, assign responsibilities to projects and special events

*Accountability advocate

advocate for lawsuits against the marijuana industry by supporting families and connecting them with lawyers

*Family Outreach

contact families and provide support resources and invite them to advocate and share their stories

*Campaign Coordinator

help develop and implement campaigns

*Social media admin and content creator

admins for the Every Brain Matters Family Support and advocacy group on Facebook

Moment of Science

The potency (THC content) of cannabis, both illicit and legal, has increased substantially over the past four decades, which may result in increased likelihood of developing adverse psychiatric effects. However, the evidence for the association between cannabis potency and adverse psychiatric effects is strong only for psychosis. The evidence for an association with cannabis use disorder, anxiety, or depression is inconsistent; most studies are of poor quality. Given the potential clinical and public health harms from the higher-potency cannabis now available, high-quality research studies are urgently needed.

GUEST EDITORIAL: THE ASSOCIATION OF CANNABIS POTENCY WITH ADVERSE PSYCHIATRIC EFFECTS OF CANNABIS-

By David A. Gorelick, MD, PhD, DLFAPA, FASAM

Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Cannabis Research

2023 August 4 - Cannabis use during pregnancy could cause lifelong cognitive deficits for offspring

2023 August 2- Early onset marijuana use and suicidal ideation among African American college students early onset marijuana use may place African American young persons at increased risk for suicidal ideation

2023 July, 27 - Association between non-medical cannabis legalization and emergency department visits for cannabis-induced psychosis -"The commercialization period was associated with an immediate increase in rates of ED visits for cannabis-induced psychosis" The change was evident in young adults specifically (IRR 1.63, 1.27–2.08, ages 19–24)

2023, June 25 - Suicidality risk after using cannabis and cannabinoids. Cannabis use was associated with a higher rate of suicidal ideation and attempts in various populations, including BD and MDD patients, military veterans, and the general population.