During a schizophrenic episode, my son ran into the roadway and was hit by a car. He had been saying he would kill himself since 4PM that day. He was hearing voices, the auditory hallucinations that are common in schizophrenia. The cause of death was ruled a suicide.

He had started using Marijuana at 21 years of age and was dead at 22. Four times 5150 admissions were authorized for him. The diagnoses were all the same, schizophrenic episodes secondary to THC use. No other substance was found in his body from any 5150 hospitalization or from his toxicology screen after death. 

Jolo was an aspiring CPA studying at California State University Long Beach. He had already graduated with his Associate Degree in Business from the College of the Desert Community College with a grade of 3.6, and was a member of Theta Kappa Phi Honor Society by invitation. While enrolled with 18 course units and working 20 hr/week as a student reception clerk in the community college, Jolo was offered a $2,500 grant from TKP Honor Society to attend the California State University Long Beach. 

During weekends at community college, he loved to go to the beach, play soccer or play basketball with his new-found Fil-Am friends in the Palm Desert area. During his last year there, he and his friends started using Marijuana during weekends. 

Jolo immigrated to the US through the sponsorship of me and my ex-husband. He and his younger sister stepped on US soil July 22, 2014. He left his friends in the Philippines with high hopes of getting a brighter opportunity than the Philippines could offer. He completed elementary and high school in a prestigious private school, Lourdes School of Mandaluyong after the patron saint St. Francis of Assisi.

My son entered California State University Long Beach in 08/20/2017. He was regularly using Marijuana with newly found friends from the University. In April 19-21, he attended Coachella Valley Festival. He went back to school on April 22nd and by April 25th he was admitted by involuntary hospitalization (5150) for being a nuisance, inappropriate laughing and talking without making sense and walking the dorm hallways in his boxer shorts. He was released from the Psych facility on April 28th, cried to me over the phone and asked me to meet him on May 1st. This time, he had realized there was something wrong with him but was in denial that it was due to Marijuana. I explained to him that it was there in the diagnosis but he refused to attribute it to Marijuana. He said Marijuana is organic, with a natural calming effect and it makes him sleep. Within one year, he was in and out of the ER. We didn’t stop giving him a good support system, therapy and medication. He refused to follow the doctor’s recommendations, not believing his condition was due to Marijuana.

As a CPA intern of Murphy, Murphy and Murphy accounting firm, Jolo was the famous and the #1 intern. During his funeral, 3 CEO’s of the company attended the mass, the reception and stayed with me for long hours. Their favorite intern was gone. If only they had known, they could have given him support. But all they saw was Jolo’s respectful smile, smart answers and good job performance. He had 6 months left to finish accountancy and he was assured of a position from the company. Jolo had job offers too from LA County as an internal auditor and all he had to do was to extend his schooling for 2 more auditing subjects or 9 units after hiring. His auditing job would have given him a $72k annual salary and a lot of government benefits and vacation packages. I read the job offer myself. 

My only son had the sweetest smile, perfect teeth, beautiful soft eyes and huggable stocky build. The pain for me is still the same as the day he died. 

The evil effect of Marijuana on his bright, young brain cells is indisputable. It’s has a fast and deadly effect, he didn’t take any other drugs, except the DEVIL WEED. !!!! 

His sickness ruined my job, I was fired and I sued my employer but the case is very slow. It ruined my nursing career, my mental state and for my daughter, the trauma of losing her only brother has a lingering impact on her psychological state. 

California State University Long Beach put up a tree in his honor. It is planted right across the window of his former dorm unit. We all call it Jolo’s Tree. It has a marker, with stones around it and we are allowed to light a candle anytime we want. His former employer published a magazine edition in his honor. His capabilities to succeed were tremendous but were stolen by the WRONG INFORMATION THAT IT’S JUST MARIJUANA. The kids minds were brainwashed by the campaign that weed is safe, organic and legal. All because of greed. 

The very last picture that I have of him was proof of one of his schizophrenic episodes 16 hours after he smoked Marijuana. The final schizophrenic attack happened at his university dorm on Sept. 19, 2018 from 4-12 midnight.

My only son, my love, my baby, my CPA, my first born, my smart kid, my Jolo bear, my Jolobee, my life,

Aloha is a mom from Southern California.