Why Families, Schools, and Mental Health Pros Can’t Ignore the Alarming Trend
By Theo Puccio, Founder of ORCA
Let’s cut to it.
I wish I were wrong about this. I wish I were overreacting. I wish I didn’t have to keep writing about this. But here we are.
Since publishing my last piece, The Conversation No One Wants to Have About Weed, I’ve gotten phone calls, emails, and DMs from therapists, parents, teachers—people who’ve seen the same thing I have but didn’t know what to call it.
Here’s what they’re saying:
“I’ve got a 16-year-old client who’s hearing voices after daily use of concentrates.”
“My son had his first psychotic break after using a THC vape for a few months. We had no idea this was even possible.”
“I’ve worked in mental health for 10 years, and I’ve never seen this many teens spiraling from weed.”
So let me say it clearly again for the people in the back:
Marijuana-induced psychosis is real.
It’s happening more often.
And we’re not doing enough to address it.
High-Potency THC Is the Real Game-Changer
This isn’t your uncle’s backyard weed. We’re talking about THC concentrates, edibles, and vapes that can hit 80–95% THC content—up to five times stronger than the weed of decades past.
And the data is catching up to what we in the field have been seeing for years:
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A 2022 review published in Lancet Psychiatry found that daily cannabis use with high-potency products was associated with a four-fold increase in the risk of developing psychotic disorders.
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In clinical settings, nearly 1 in 4 young people entering inpatient treatment have a history of marijuana-related psychosis or delusional thinking tied to use.
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At ORCA, we’ve seen this in real-time—young men and women in full-blown psychosis after extended use of “just weed.”
So if you’re still asking, “Isn’t it just weed?”
Let me answer that for you:
Not anymore.
What Psychosis from Weed Actually Looks Like
Let’s get out of the academic and into the real world.
Here’s what we’re actually seeing in families we work with:
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Paranoia: They think the government is tracking their phones.
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Delusions: They’re convinced their parents are imposters.
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Social withdrawal: Weeks spent in their room, lights off, avoiding any interaction.
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Complete detachment from reality: Sometimes even requiring hospitalization for stabilization.
This isn’t occasional anxiety or a rough day after smoking. This is psychosis.
And here’s the worst part: many families think it’s something else—depression, trauma, “just a phase.”
By the time they realize it’s substance-induced, the situation has already escalated.
We Need to Wake Up—Fast
If you work with youth in any capacity—school counselor, therapist, mentor, coach—you need to know what you’re up against.
Because these kids? They’re not showing up high anymore. They’re showing up broken, and they don’t even understand what’s happening to them.
And let’s be clear: this isn’t about demonizing marijuana.
It’s about being honest about its risks. Especially for adolescents with developing brains, family histories of mental illness, or underlying trauma.
It’s also about balance. If we’re going to normalize weed, we need to normalize the conversation about what it can do when it goes wrong.
How to Help Before It Gets Worse
If you’re reading this and wondering whether someone you care about might be headed down this path, here are three things you can do today:
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Stop downplaying the risks. The science is in. The experience in the field is clear. Stop calling it “just weed.”
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Get curious, not judgmental. Ask real questions. What are they using? How often? How strong? Don’t assume they even know.
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Take early warning signs seriously. Rapid mood swings, paranoia, withdrawal from social settings, delusions—these aren’t normal teenage behaviors.
And if you’re not sure what to do, call someone who knows how to help.
What We’re Doing at ORCA
At ORCA, we’re on the ground floor of this issue.
We’re working with families in crisis, young people in psychosis, and professionals who need back-up when the situation escalates beyond their scope.
We’re not here to scare people.
We’re here to save them from finding out the hard way.
If You’re Seeing It, Say Something
To all the therapists, school counselors, and treatment professionals—your voice matters.
Don’t downplay what you’re seeing.
Don’t wait until a hospitalization forces the conversation.
Let’s start calling this what it is.
Let’s start intervening earlier.
Let’s stop letting families find out too late.
Because no family should have to say, “We thought it was just weed… until it wasn’t.”
– Theo Puccio
Founder, ORCA
Board-Certified Interventionist
