She was 14 when she first tried to vape cannabis. Elysse figured that because it didn’t smell, her parents wouldn’t find out, and after her second and third smoke, she was destined for addiction.
Now 18, Elysse is still recovering from the addiction and the harmful side effects it came with. “It was euphoria. Insane euphoria,” she said. “I felt like my body was levitating,” she recounted, after having thrown up in a small bathroom for an entire hour.
She had been constantly throwing up uncontrollably since 2020, with the episodes lasting for hours, stopping, and then starting again. In addition to this, Elysse started to develop anxiety and minor depression, replacing the feeling of euphoria. This was all due to what she was using: weed, aka marijuana.
Unbeknownst to Elysse, the weed she had been using was much more dangerous than ordinary weed, having a THC level of 90%. She didn’t think anything was wrong with that at first, as all the people around her used that level as well. This high level of THC played its role, and in 2021, after half a dozen trips to the hospital for her stomach problems, a gastroenterologist diagnosed her with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which causes recurring vomiting in people who use illegal drugs like marijuana and cannabis heavily. The reason for these problems? The extremely high THC levels in the illegal products people use now.
In 1995, the average level (concentration) of THC in seized [by police] product was 4%. This number jumped to 17% in 2017. In some cases, THC levels were at 95%. Why does this matter, though? And what even is THC?
THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the most common psychoactive substance in cannabis products. Basically, THC is what makes weed feel euphoric to those who use it.
However, high levels of THC can mess up your brain. Serious side-effects can occur such as recurring vomiting, addiction, psychosis, increased risk of developing depression and suicidal thoughts, changes in brain anatomy, and faulty memory. These symptoms are even worse for younger people like teens, as their brains are still developing. Studies found that things get even worse when CBD, a compound that can actually combat the harmful effects of high concentrations of THC, is used in lower levels in cannabis plants. These studies have also found that lower CBD levels lead to an increase in addiction.
A growing concern is that cannabis with high THC levels is relatively easy to obtain in a majority of states, with only two states (Vermont and Connecticut) having put a limit on the concentration. This makes it much easier for teens to get the product and harder for organizations to stop them.
Bethany Moore, a spokeswoman for the National Cannabis Industry Association, suggested that the best way to prevent teens from getting hold of these dangerous drugs would be to implement laws that make the legal cannabis industry more appealing than illegal markets—so that restrictions in the industry may safeguard users.
Another roadblock is that most states don’t or can’t restrict cannabis potency (THC concentration). This is because cannabis is federally legal. Younger users suffer partly because of this.
From 2017 to 2019, the number of kids who reported vaping cannabis products in the past 30 days rose at every grade level, with high school seniors almost tripling their cannabis use. Thirty-five percent of seniors and 44 percent of college students also reported using cannabis products in 2019.
Laura Stack, an ordinary mother, retells her own problems with the “new weed.” Her son, Johnny, had confessed to using marijuana when he was 14, but she brushed it off, relieved it wasn’t cocaine. However, she still warned him that marijuana would “eat your brain cells.” She hadn’t realized yet that marijuana had changed dramatically since she had used it.
At first, Johnny didn’t have any mental problems and even performed well academically. Slowly though, his addiction to marijuana products with high THC levels took a toll on him, and eventually, he was, as Ms. Stack said, “completely delusional.” By the time he entered college, he was so paranoid that he thought the mafia was chasing him and that his college was an F.B.I. base.
Ms. Stack later found out that Johnny had somehow gotten his own medical marijuana card and started selling marijuana to younger kids. Doctors finally determined Johnny had a case of THC abuse and he was prescribed antipsychotic medication, which started returning him to normal. Eventually, though, he stopped taking the medication. In a tragic turn of events, he died after jumping from a six-story building. He was 19.
A few days before his death, his heartbroken mom recalled, Johnny had apologized to her, claiming weed had ruined everything for him and that he loved her. This series of events was only one example of tragic outcomes, a recent study found. THC abuse can lead to a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts.
The use of drugs containing THC is bad. For teens, it is even worse. Taking drugs with high levels of THC should be avoided entirely. The question is, will parents and teens listen?
Credits: Ontario Cannabis Store, WebMD, and The New York Times
Now 18, Elysse is still recovering from the addiction and the harmful side effects it came with. “It was euphoria. Insane euphoria,” she said. “I felt like my body was levitating,” she recounted, after having thrown up in a small bathroom for an entire hour.
She had been constantly throwing up uncontrollably since 2020, with the episodes lasting for hours, stopping, and then starting again. In addition to this, Elysse started to develop anxiety and minor depression, replacing the feeling of euphoria. This was all due to what she was using: weed, aka marijuana.
Unbeknownst to Elysse, the weed she had been using was much more dangerous than ordinary weed, having a THC level of 90%. She didn’t think anything was wrong with that at first, as all the people around her used that level as well. This high level of THC played its role, and in 2021, after half a dozen trips to the hospital for her stomach problems, a gastroenterologist diagnosed her with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which causes recurring vomiting in people who use illegal drugs like marijuana and cannabis heavily. The reason for these problems? The extremely high THC levels in the illegal products people use now.
In 1995, the average level (concentration) of THC in seized [by police] product was 4%. This number jumped to 17% in 2017. In some cases, THC levels were at 95%. Why does this matter, though? And what even is THC?
THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the most common psychoactive substance in cannabis products. Basically, THC is what makes weed feel euphoric to those who use it.
However, high levels of THC can mess up your brain. Serious side-effects can occur such as recurring vomiting, addiction, psychosis, increased risk of developing depression and suicidal thoughts, changes in brain anatomy, and faulty memory. These symptoms are even worse for younger people like teens, as their brains are still developing. Studies found that things get even worse when CBD, a compound that can actually combat the harmful effects of high concentrations of THC, is used in lower levels in cannabis plants. These studies have also found that lower CBD levels lead to an increase in addiction.
A growing concern is that cannabis with high THC levels is relatively easy to obtain in a majority of states, with only two states (Vermont and Connecticut) having put a limit on the concentration. This makes it much easier for teens to get the product and harder for organizations to stop them.
Bethany Moore, a spokeswoman for the National Cannabis Industry Association, suggested that the best way to prevent teens from getting hold of these dangerous drugs would be to implement laws that make the legal cannabis industry more appealing than illegal markets—so that restrictions in the industry may safeguard users.
Another roadblock is that most states don’t or can’t restrict cannabis potency (THC concentration). This is because cannabis is federally legal. Younger users suffer partly because of this.
From 2017 to 2019, the number of kids who reported vaping cannabis products in the past 30 days rose at every grade level, with high school seniors almost tripling their cannabis use. Thirty-five percent of seniors and 44 percent of college students also reported using cannabis products in 2019.
Laura Stack, an ordinary mother, retells her own problems with the “new weed.” Her son, Johnny, had confessed to using marijuana when he was 14, but she brushed it off, relieved it wasn’t cocaine. However, she still warned him that marijuana would “eat your brain cells.” She hadn’t realized yet that marijuana had changed dramatically since she had used it.
At first, Johnny didn’t have any mental problems and even performed well academically. Slowly though, his addiction to marijuana products with high THC levels took a toll on him, and eventually, he was, as Ms. Stack said, “completely delusional.” By the time he entered college, he was so paranoid that he thought the mafia was chasing him and that his college was an F.B.I. base.
Ms. Stack later found out that Johnny had somehow gotten his own medical marijuana card and started selling marijuana to younger kids. Doctors finally determined Johnny had a case of THC abuse and he was prescribed antipsychotic medication, which started returning him to normal. Eventually, though, he stopped taking the medication. In a tragic turn of events, he died after jumping from a six-story building. He was 19.
A few days before his death, his heartbroken mom recalled, Johnny had apologized to her, claiming weed had ruined everything for him and that he loved her. This series of events was only one example of tragic outcomes, a recent study found. THC abuse can lead to a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts.
The use of drugs containing THC is bad. For teens, it is even worse. Taking drugs with high levels of THC should be avoided entirely. The question is, will parents and teens listen?
Credits: Ontario Cannabis Store, WebMD, and The New York Times
