JOHNNY’S AMBASSADORS

Laura Stack makes lifelong commitment to honor son’s spirit, expose harmful affects of ‘today’s marijuana’ use

By elma Grimes

In 2019 when her son Johnny Stack died by suicide, Laura Stack said she spent six months “in the fetal position,” not knowing how she would get over it. Now, three years later, Laura is traveling the country spreading awareness and “making something good come out of a horrible tragedy.”

Laura says her son’s death could have possibly been prevented had she understood more about what she called “today’s marijuana” and how the high levels of THC can a ect children, teenagers and young adults.

Laura, calling herself naive, said when Johnny was 14, he told her he was using marijuana. For Laura, she equated that to the “ ower” she used as a teenager, saying she thought it was a normal kid thing and “no big deal.”

Laura said she never realized how wrong she was. Today’s marijuana is nothing like the generic stu earlier generations used. Instead, it is more potent and can a ect a young person’s brain a lot more.

Laura, who raised her family in Highlands Ranch, said in 2019 Johnny came to dinner where he told her, “I want you to know you were right. You told me marijuana would hurt my brain. It’s ruined my mind and my life, and I’m sorry. I love you.” ree days later, Laura said, Johnny died by suicide.

“I was in the fetal position for six months,” Laura said. “It was during COVID, and we were isolated and alone.”

Eventually, Laura said she does what every mother does — she started asking questions. She started investigating to nd out why Johnny took his own life.

Laura said she and her husband got someone to help gain access into Johnny’s computer and phone. is gave them insight into the hole Johnny had been going down for a long time.

Laura said she learned he had gotten a medical marijuana card and was driving to Denver for supplies for dabbing.

As she continued to research, Laura said she had no idea what dabbing was. In marijuana culture, dabbing is a slang term used for inhaling the vapor of a heated marijuana concentrate extremely high in tetrahydrocannabinol, otherwise known as THC.

Laura further learned that despite the dangers of dabbing, it is growing in popularity, especially among teenagers.

As she continued to research and investigate, Laura said she started doing what she knows best — writing. An accomplished author who has published eight books, Laura said the best therapy for her is writing.

Eventually, she posted on her Facebook page, with about 5,000 fans, asking if they knew what dabbing was. Today, the post has been shared and commented on over 21,000 times. Like Laura, many parents have no idea what dabbing is and why it can be harmful to young brains.

As she became more educated and understanding of the symptoms and signs Johnny showed in the years leading up to his suicide, Laura said she realized what had to be done.

Johnny’s Ambassadors

Laura said she eventually gave up her career and has put all of her focus on turning Johnny’s tragedy into something that may save other lives, educate parents and reach young adults, teenagers and youth.

Laura is the founder of the nonpro t organization Johnny’s Ambassadors, which aims to save young people from the harms of marijuana.

“I just decided I wasn’t going to go be quiet about this,” she said. “I realized I could either stay in the fetal position or I could forge ahead despite my pain. I want something good to come of this. I want to keep his spirit alive.”

Laura went from being an author full time, to an ambassador who travels the country to talk to young people, teenagers and parents about what “today’s marijuana” can do.

Laura said she thinks about Johnny a lot — realizing things she thought were normal teenage boy behaviors were really him having struggles with marijuana use. She described a son who had a 4.0 GPA, scored a perfect math score on the SATs, was outgoing, fun and had passion for life.

In the year before his death, Laura said Johnny was moodier, withdrawn, no longer cared about school or doing activities. She also said he tended to sleep a lot more.

“He was my oldest son,” she said. “I did not have a lot of experience raising a teenage boy. I just didn’t know.”

Laura said Johnny slowly went from being outgoing and motivated to acting more paranoid and anxious.

Talking from Wyoming on Sept. 16, Laura said she had just nished speaking to a group of elementary school kids about her son, the tragedy and the signs of danger they should address.

Laura said the school’s principal told her incidents involving marijuana have continued to increase over the last few years primarily due to it being more accessible and legal in neighboring Colorado.

“All over the country, marijuana is more accessible than ever before,” she said. “And it’s so potent that parents really don’t know how dangerous it is.”

With research and studies just now coming out to show the impacts of marijuana use in young people, Laura said parents just do not realize that it’s not a simple drug kids are using at a party anymore.

Laura said marijuana was only listed as an addictive drug in 2013.

Every two years, Healthy Kids Colorado conducts an anonymous survey, where marijuana use is among the questions asked. According to the most recent survey, high school students are using marijuana more often, and the use of THC through vape pens is on the rise.

Laura said this is alarming because experts say increasing substance abuse is also tied to some of the increase in mental health issues children and teenagers are having nationwide. Last year, Children’s Hospital Colorado declared a mental health crisis in the state, saying they are seeing more ER visits where children and teenagers are su ering from mental health problems or attempting suicide.

A lifelong commitment

When asked what her future looks like, Laura’s plans are clear.

“I am going to keep doing this until the day I die,” she said. “As legalization marches on, there is going to be more access and more use among children.”

Laura said besides keeping her son’s spirit alive, she is hoping to make an impact, save lives and turn the misconception that marijuana is not harmful around.

“For me, it’s all about moving the needle and changing the perception,” she said. “ ere are indicators we are changing the minds of the kids we talk to.”

In visiting schools, Laura always does a presentation to the students and then an after-hours program for parents.

“I am not out to use scare tactics. I just want to use my son’s story and share what he went through to maybe get someone to see that they may be going through something similar,” she said.

One of the best parts of her new life and career path is when she gets through to people.

Laura said she has had teenagers walk up to her after a presentation and tell her they are feeling the same issues and need to stop.

For parents, some are realizing their own children are displaying warning signs and may need intervention.

“I do feel like in some way I am helping to prevent what happened to Johnny,” she said. “It means the world when a teenager comes up to me and says they need help.”

Beyond traveling the country, doing interviews for print media and scheduling appearances on television programs, Laura has also published the book, “ e Dangerous Truth about Today’s Marijuana.”

Those in need of help

Laura said parents or teenagers who need help recovering from marijuana use can contact the Johnny’s Ambassadors. Johnny’s Ambassadors provides a Youth Marijuana Prevention Magazine to middle and high school teachers to use in the classroom, an online curriculum, videos, toolkits, and many educational resources to help parents with addicted children.

Learn more about the nonpro t at www.johnnysambassadors.org or order a copy of the book on Amazon.