Four years ago, Parent Action Network (PAN) starts with a simple realization: facts matter, but stories change minds. Crissy sits down with SAM CEO, Dr. Kevin Sabet, to unpack why organizing parents becomes the missing force in the marijuana legalization debate and why the human toll keeps showing up in our inbox every week. We talk about the loneliness of prevention work, the attacks advocates face, and the way one family’s loss can become a lasting purpose for policy change.

Kevin shares the story that still stops him in his tracks, Sally Schindel’s son Andy and the note he left behind. We dig into why those words cut through talking points, and how today’s high-potency cannabis, youth mental health concerns, and normalization collide in real homes and schools. If you’ve ever heard “it’s just marijuana,” we explain why that line falls apart when impairment affects other people, from bus drivers to pilots to public safety.

We also go deep on the New York Times and what it means when a legacy outlet finally admits “America has a marijuana problem” while still clinging to regulation. From there, we zoom out to Kevin’s book One Nation Under the Influence and the wider drug crisis, including fentanyl, safe supply drug substitution debates, psychedelics, and the prevention strategies that actually show results. If you care about smart drug policy, youth prevention, and advocacy that moves the needle, hit play, share this with a friend, and leave us a review.

To learn more about the myths of marijuana and the drug policy crisis in this country you can find Dr. Sabet's books here:

Reefer Sanity

Smokescreen

One Nation Under the Influence

If you have a story to share please reach out to us at PAN@learnaboutsam.org

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PAN:
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https://www.facebook.com/parentactionnetworkSAM

SAM:

https://learnaboutsam.org/
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A tragedy can arrive quietly, then all at once. We talk with Texas mom Laura Broom about her son Gregori, a good kid with a bright path who became withdrawn during a major life transition and then encountered today’s marijuana landscape, where high potency THC and easy access can collide with depression, isolation, and pain. What stays with us is how short the timeline can be and how many details remain unknown for families left trying to make sense of the unthinkable.

We also dig into the part of the story that surprises people: Laura’s family ran a drug and alcohol testing business, so they understood more than the average household about substances, labs, and consequences. Even then, the warning signs were easy to misread while juggling health issues, work, and everyday life. Laura shares the real-world red flags she noticed in hindsight, the way vape shop culture can connect young people to stronger products without obvious “deals” happening in the open, and why the commercialization and normalization of marijuana products changes the risk calculus for parents and communities.

From there, we shift to what it takes to keep going. Laura explains “radical acceptance,” her I Cope To Hope Resiliency Framework, and why she chose to turn pain into purpose through mentoring and public health advocacy. We also share how connecting with Parent Action Network and attending the Hill Day with other families profoundly changed Laura's outlook. We also touch on the importance of continued advocacy regarding such federal bills as the No Dedcutions for Marijuana Businesses Act, and enforcing the implementation of the Farm Bill Loophole closure.

If you care about youth mental health, marijuana regulation, high potency THC, and practical ways families can advocate, this conversation is for you. To learn more about how you can advocate with PAN, contact us at PAN@learnaboutsam.org.

Click here to listen to Laura's Podcast, Flourishing After Adversity

Follow PAN and SAM:

PAN:
https://parentaction.network/
https://x.com/parentactionSAM
https://www.facebook.com/parentactionnetworkSAM

SAM:

https://learnaboutsam.org/
https://x.com/learnaboutsam
https://www.facebook.com/learnaboutsam

A teen tries THC at 14. Many years later, his mom is sitting in court watching her once bright, funny kid , full of promise, cycle through paranoia, delusions, lost jobs, and a system that's failed him because it can’t agree on what’s causing it. That’s the reality Patrice H. from Montana brings to Fortitude, and it’s a hard listen in the best way: honest, specific, and focused on what parents wish they’d known before high-THC cannabis entered the picture.

We talk about cannabis-induced psychosis, why today’s marijuana products aren’t the low-potency weed many adults remember, and how early marijuana use can intersect with the developing adolescent brain. Patrice walks us through the scramble to get help, the isolation of being dismissed by professionals, and the moment a psychiatrist minimized cannabis even while prescribing mood stabilizers. We also get into the ripple effects families rarely say out loud: siblings living in fear, relationships breaking, and the constant shame that keeps parents silent.

Then the story turns to advocacy and solutions. Patrice shares how finding Parent Action Network and Smart Approaches to Marijuana gave her language, community, and the confidence to speak up. We unpack what Parent Action Network’s Capitol Hill Day asks lawmakers to do, including implementing the Farm Bill loophole, tracking the costs of legalization, and pushing for stronger regulations that reflect real-world harms.

If you’re a parent, educator, clinician, or policymaker trying to understand high-THC cannabis and mental health, this conversation offers both warning signs and a path forward. Be sure to share this with anyone you think needs a wake-up call! If you have had a similar experience and are interested in learning more about PAN's Hill Days, how you can raise your voice against todays harmful market, and being a guest on the Fortitude podcast, email us at PAN@learnaboutsam.org

Follow PAN and SAM:

PAN:
https://parentaction.network/
https://x.com/parentactionSAM
https://www.facebook.com/parentactionnetworkSAM

SAM:

https://learnaboutsam.org/
https://x.com/learnaboutsam
https://www.facebook.com/learnaboutsam