CANNABIS INDUCED PSYCHOSIS - Sam’s Story - ep.1

Whitney Yeager of Monument, Colorado, shares the story of her son, Sam Yeager, who died at age 23 on April 3, 2021, during a police encounter triggered by cannabis-induced psychosis. Sam was a vibrant, nature-loving, intelligent young man with a deep passion for outdoor adventure, German culture, and environmental stewardship—he even planted over a thousand trees in his final year. Though he struggled with impulse control and sensory issues in childhood, he managed them well into his teens and excelled academically and athletically. However, in college, he became addicted to high-potency marijuana, which coincided with a sharp mental decline marked by paranoia, social withdrawal, and a psychotic break. After quitting cannabis, Sam suffered severe withdrawal, leading to a traumatic rehab experience. Though he briefly returned to stability and academic success, one joint smoked during a hike triggered an immediate psychotic episode. Convinced he was being pursued, Sam ended up in a standoff with police, who, unaware of his mental state and lacking a crisis response team, fatally shot him. Whitney now advocates for awareness of cannabis-induced psychosis and the dangers of high-potency THC, emphasizing the need for open, compassionate conversations between parents and children about substance use. She created The Sammy Project - https://www.thesammyproject.com - to honor his life and help destigmatize mental health struggles.

Learn more about CIP at:
Every Brain Matters - https://everybrainmatters.org/
Smart Approaches to Marijuana - https://learnaboutsam.org/
One Chance to Grow Up - https://onechancetogrowup.org/

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