By: Alvin Fang
`Laura Stacka, resident of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, said that when her son Johnny first admitted to being using marijuana at the age of 14, she thought to herself, “Oh well, it’s just weed”. She had used marijuana a couple of times in high school and had been fine, so she did not mind, but she did not know the extent of the many harmful effects the drug could have.
Her son began to become addicted and take marijuana multiple times a day. According to The New York Times, by the time he reached college, he had been through different addiction treatment programs. “He had even become so addicted that he thought the mob was after him and that his college was a base for the F.B.I.,” said Ms. Stack. Soon after he moving out of his childhood home, he threatened to kill their family's dog unless his parents gave him money. His mother later realized that Johnny had obtained his own medical marijuana card when he turned 18 and had begun dealing with younger kids.
After several stays at hospitals, the doctors found out that Johnny had a strong case of THC abuse, Ms. Stack said. “He has been prescribed an anti-psychotic medication, which kind of helped — but then he stopped taking it. And in 2019, Johnny died after jumping off of a six-story building when he was only 19 years old.” A few days ago, before his death, Ms. Stack said, “Johnny had apologized to her, saying that weed had ruined his mind and his life, and at the end, saying, “I’m sorry, and I love you.”