Episode 20 - Dangers of Teen Marijuana Use with Laura Stack

Let's Talk

My guest for this episode is my friend and colleague in youth prevention, Laura Stack! For 30 years, Laura Stack was best known in the business world as "The Productivity Pro." Her career as a keynote speaker, bestselling author of eight books, and corporate spokesperson came to a screeching halt on November 20, 2019, when her 19-year-old son, Johnny, died by suicide after becoming psychotic from dabbing high-THC marijuana concentrates. Laura responded by forming the nonprofit, Johnny's Ambassadors, to educate parents, teens, and communities about the dangers of today's high-THC marijuana on adolescent brain development, psychosis, and suicide. Her platform now brings prevention education to drug prevention conferences, community groups, and schools to stop youth marijuana use. Laura also published a book, The Dangerous Truth About Today's Marijuana: Johnny Stack's Life and Death Story, which weaves together the story of Johnny’s decline with scientific data to help other families avoid experiencing the same pain and loss . Laura has told Johnny's story and been featured by numerous media outlets, including People Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Ingraham Angle, PBS, and Dr. Phil. Laura is the recipient of the Drug-Free America Foundation's Moxie Award for protecting youth from substances, the Leadership in Advocacy Award from the National Speakers Association, and the American Association of Suicidology's Loss Survivor of the Year Award.