Remember Andy Zorn: My Son’s Killer

On Veteran’s Day we honor Andy Zorn who died in March 2014, age 31.  His mother Sally Schindel wrote this statement about his killer.

Andy Zorn’s mission was to make friends and families laugh.  He was the class clown.  He made parties come alive.  As he grew older, he helped friends through tough times.  He served with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq.

His bright future, however, masked a dark secret.  Marijuana abuse took him down a spiral suicide help lines, hospitalizations in five mental health hospitals and two stints of court-ordered mental health treatment.  He told his mother, father and social worker he had to quit using marijuana if he is to live, but he just couldn’t do it.

And then, at the age of 31, my son hanged himself from a tree in Peoria, Arizona.  His suicide note the cause of his death.  “I want to die. My soul is dead. Marijuana killed my soul + ruined my brain.”

As I came to terms with Andy’s death and the note he left, I was confused. I’d always believe marijuana wasn’t addictive.  My research since has revealed I was far from the truth. Marijuana is highly addictive.  Almost one in three users of marijuana exhibit symptoms of substance use disorder. I learned later that my son had been diagnosed with severe cannabis use disorder.

Andy’s wallet contained his medical marijuana card and a dispensary loyalty card, indicating his numerous purchases and progress toward earning a free eighth of an ounce.   So I visited the manager at the store he frequented.  I wanted her to know my son’s story so she could prevent another death by recognizing someone in trouble with addiction. I asked her to watch for any healthy young person buying the limit of 2-1/2 ounces every 15 days, which could be a sign of dependence.

She told me marijuana is not addictive.  “Marijuana has never been related to a death,” she insisted.  I asked her to look at my sons suicide note. I asked her to look at his death certificate, one no parents want to see listing suicide as the cause of death. I offered her copies to share with her patients to help prevent another death.

She declined and asked me if there was another explanation for my son’s death, another drug in the coroner’s report.  No there were no other drugs.  She pointed out the décor in the dispensary: giant copies of checks to local non-profits, including a children’s hospital.  I suggested she consider donating to organizations that educate youth to prevent drug and alcohol use at the early ages susceptible to substance use disorders.  She said that wasban interesting idea.

I took note of other décor in the dispensary.  A sign in the receptionist’s window promoted products with 90 percent THC, the psychoactive element of pot.  In the 1970s, THC content was in the low single digits.

Then I left because I know a business is unlikely to help prevent use of its product by people who will be its best customer in the future.  I left because I am sickened by an industry that refuses to acknowledge the known risks of its products.   I left because this woman made it clear she will continue to sell her product without feeling responsible for customers exhibiting signs of abuse.

I left because my desire to save a life like my son’s is wasted on anyone in this industry.  Marijuana is much like the tobacco industry of the past, which refused to acknowledge known risks in its product.

Editor’s note – Since the tobacco industry is required to post health warnings, the  marijuana industry should be required to use warning labels, also.   A long-term study of from Yale showed that marijuana makes PTSD  worse, and no health organization validates marijuana as a treatment for PTSD. 

Here’s an article about alternative treatments for PTSD and pain.

 

Another Missing Person in Marijuana Country

It’s always sad when a young person is missing but when it involves a mother with two little children, it’s more than tragic.    From all appearances it would seem Sherri Papini had a wonderful life, good husband and two young children.  She went missing in broad daylight while jogging on the Oregon trail on November 2, right before she would have picked her children up from preschool.

Her husband Keith Papini took a lie detector test and has been cleared of any wrongdoing.  Using an iPhone app, he had found her mobile phone, headphones and a few strands of hair before reporting her missing.   The story has been featured on ABC News.

An online report tells of teens and young women who have been abducted in the Redding/Shasta County area.   Papini looked younger than her 34 years.  The long blond hair, pretty face, slight figure, etc. would make her perfect for type of people marijuana growers happen to victimize.

Following news reports from the area, the most logical conclusion is that she was abducted in connection to the marijuana industry and the sex trade that is rampant in Northern California.  Papini lived in was in Mountain Gate, at tiny town outside of Redding, Shasta County, an old logging area that has seen much violence in recent years as a result of the marijuana industry.

Since search crews have combed the Shasta County area, her family believes she is out of the region at this time.   It would not take much to bring her into the Emerald Triangle, of which Trinity County adjoins Shasta County.   Both Humboldt and Mendocino County would be logical places to look for her.

The abuse and sexual trade in the region has been reported by Reveal and Cosmopolitan.  Marijuana grows and sexual abuse hide easily in this heavily forested region.

There are only 177,000 people in Shasta County, but there were 220 missing persons reported last year.   Humboldt County had 352 people reported missing in 2015.  With only 134,000 people in the county, it has the highest rate of missing people in the state.

Although Shasta County is not part of the Emerald Triangle, it has a similar geographic and economic situation.  Shasta was formerly part of the logging industry which has been largely shutdown.  When an industry feeds the economy is no longer viable, residents must look for other ways to earn a living.  Too much of Northern California has been taken over by the marijuana growers who now supply 60% of the US marijuana market.

Let’s hope the Sherri Papini is found, and found alive and well and comes home to her family.   The family has set up a Facebook page and a reward.   (Above photo from Facebook)

Oregon Cities, Counties Ban Marijuana

Official returns from the state of Oregon show that approximately two-thirds of localities rejected the marijuana industry at the ballot box, even if they voted for statewide legalization two years ago.

Randy Philbrick of Portland for Positive Impact said:  “The final tally I have is 35 cities and 3 counties in Oregon voted to ban marijuana businesses. Since all of these votes were in counties that passed Measure 91 by 55% or more it looks like public acceptance is changing back towards opposition.”

Ignorance is bliss.  Once people legalize marijuana and see what it’s like, do they change their mind?

Kevin Sabet, President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana  “As in Colorado and other places, Oregon voters may have cast their ballot for statewide legalization, but they don’t want much to do with it on the local level,” said Kevin Sabet, President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). “This vote should send a strong message to state legislators and even members of Congress that people are not comfortable with pot shops in their neighborhoods or marijuana cultivation sites near their homes.”
Relatively populous Marion County, for example, rejected non-medical marijuana businesses 53 to 47 percent. Residents there even rejected medical marijuana stores. Lake Oswego banned non-medical sales by twenty points. West Linn also rejected marijuana stores. Both areas are primarily Democratic voters.

Facebook Conversation Between Two California Therapists, a True Story

One therapist, a Republican, said to another “You should be ecstatic thinking of all the wonderful mental disorders coming with teens and young adults smoking recreational marijuana.  It may even be pharma grade marijuana.    What could go wrong?  At least your business will be booming.”

The other therapist responded:  “I hear ya.  But I’m never ecstatic over drugs. There is nothing good about them.    Breaks my ? and it makes me very concerned about the folks in California.   There will be so much addiction and all it brings, included increased crime, destruction of families.”

The other therapist (a man) replied:

“Trust me I’m truly saddened. I was being sarcastic.  This state loses its appeal every year.  It’s like it wants to force out anyone with common sense and leave only those that want crime and addiction, but want the government to pay for it all.

Editor’s Note: Bracing for the increase in psychiatric care and hoping things will be fine since we have pharmaceutical drugs that can stop psychotic breaks, are cynical attitudes.   The public should consider that some of these youth may never recover and that it takes a toll on their brains.  On our Testimonial pages are several examples.

Bursting the Bubble of Marijuana Hype