Posted on February 10, 2026 View all news
Speaking Up When Silence Is the Goal
Speaking publicly about the harms of marijuana is not easy. In fact, it often comes with a very real cost. There is a targeted and coordinated effort to silence anyone who speaks honestly about negative effects—especially when those voices begin to reach people. I often refer to this effort as the “pot army,” not to provoke, but to describe the organized and aggressive nature of the response.
In 2019, after one of my videos reached more than 24,000 views, a group called the Texas Cannabis Collective was instrumental in successfully stripping away my ability to promote my content on Facebook. What followed was not healthy debate or respectful disagreement. It was harassment—persistent, targeted, and oppressive.
Today, and every day, I am met with abusive comments, slanderous accusations, disturbing AI-generated graphics of me, and even threats. Unfortunately, my experience is not unique. Many individuals and organizations who speak honestly about this issue have endured the same treatment for years. This behavior is intentional. The goal is not dialogue—it is distraction, intimidation, and ultimately, silence.
Marijuana proponents want the freedom to sell and use THC—while stripping away the freedom to educate, ensuring consumers are denied informed consent. Social media giants have helped set the stage, transforming freedom of speech into freedom to publicly abuse.
When Protection Became a Full-Time Battle
When I was asked to help launch the Moms Strong Facebook group, I quickly realized how hostile the environment would be if families were not actively protected. In the weeks that followed, I spent nearly all my time blocking cruel and abusive comments.
What made this experience especially unsettling was its relentlessness. Comments appeared roughly every 15 minutes—24 hours a day—for several weeks. There was no pause. No break. I became so overwhelmed that I struggled to complete other basic tasks in my life. I lost sleep trying to stay ahead of the harassment.
I did this because I did not want families—many already carrying deep pain from marijuana-related harm—to endure additional trauma in a space meant to offer honesty and support. Protecting them mattered more than my own exhaustion at the time. But the toll was real.
This is the reality many advocates face behind the scenes. The harm is not just public—it is deeply personal.
When Advocacy Crosses Into Intimidation
My recent work in Texas led to one of the most alarming experiences I have faced to date.
A hemp business owner—someone with a clear financial interest in silencing criticism—hired a private investigator to obtain my husband’s and my son’s names and cell phone numbers. This was done without our consent and without any legitimate or ethical justification.
This man contacted my son directly.
At the time, my son was detoxing from Texas hemp-derived THC and was struggling both mentally and physically. During that vulnerable period, he received a phone call offering him money to “share his side of the story.” My son told the caller clearly that THC had injured him mentally and physically, and that he did not want to speak with him.
My son immediately called me to report the call and said this man would also contact his father. He was scared—afraid that this man might also have our home address. We later learned the same individual attempted to call my husband as well, but my husband blocked the number.
This was not outreach.
It was not journalism.
It was not advocacy.
It was intimidation—directed at my family, and at a young man actively recovering from harm caused by the very products being defended.
Public Mockery From Those in Power
In addition to private intimidation, there has also been public mockery.
This past April, during testimony before the Texas House State Affairs Committee, the individual who runs the Texas Cannabis Collective included a song in his testimony that mocked me personally. Legislators laughed. When he later testified again, he turned toward me and spoke directly to me instead of addressing the legislators—and he was not corrected.
During the first special session, I was also publicly misrepresented by marijuana proponents during testimony before the House Public Health Committee. A speaker deliberately took comments I had made publicly out of context in an effort to persuade legislators that I was dishonest.
These moments matter. They send a message about whose voices are protected, whose are dismissed, and whose pain is treated as entertainment.
Am I the Victim?
No. Victims don’t have choices. I do.
I choose to continue speaking up. I choose to trust that slanderous posts about me will not be mistaken for fact. And I choose to believe that truth still matters.
What I am asking for is simple and reasonable: a fair chance to respectfully inform the public and policymakers without threats, intimidation, slander, or harassment.
I am not seeking sympathy. I am seeking safety, accountability, and space for honest conversation—especially when families and children are being harmed.
Who Are the Real Victims?
The real victims are not the people speaking up—they are marijuana users who have been misled by industry marketing and inadequately protected by the American government.
While dangerous products are sold with misleading and exaggerated medical claims, the public has not been adequately educated about the risks. There has been little investment in prevention, treatment, recovery services, or meaningful data collection on real-world harms.
Even the medical community has not been properly informed. Many healthcare professionals remain unaware that THC is a leading cause of cannabis-induced psychosis and long-term psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, leaving patients confused and unsupported.
Speaking honestly is not about blame—it is about preventing more people from being harmed in silence.
Navigating Social Media Reality
Social media is one of the primary ways people receive news and information today. I do not control the rules or algorithms of these platforms, so I must navigate them as wisely and carefully as possible.
Recently, my public posts have received thousands of comments. I want to be transparent: I do not have the capacity, resources, or staff to monitor or manage all of them. Because of this, I urge caution if you choose to engage directly with the pot army. Pushing back rarely changes minds and often results in continued harassment and abuse.
That said, I deeply appreciate those who engage in good faith. Your presence increases visibility, helps accurate information travel farther, and counters misinformation. That impact matters.
Post and Ghost
If you choose to post or comment, one effective strategy is called “post and ghost.” This means sharing accurate information, providing credible resources when appropriate, and then not returning to engage further.
Post and ghost allows you to be active without being pulled into drama or targeted harassment. It protects your mental health while still contributing to truth. Engagement does not require enduring abuse. Stepping away is not weakness—it is wisdom.
A Note of Gratitude to Families and Advocates
I want to sincerely thank the families, advocates, and individuals who comment with truth, respect, and compassion. Many of you are speaking from lived experience, loss, and love—and that takes courage.
You are helping confront this WAR FOR DRUGS—where profit is protected, and harm is denied—by choosing honesty over fear and facts over intimidation. Even when opposition is loud and hostile, your steady persistence makes an impact far beyond what you may see in the moment. Please know your efforts are seen, valued, and deeply appreciated.
Safer Spaces for Conversation
If you are looking for a safer place to comment, ask questions, and engage in meaningful dialogue, I offer two private Facebook groups—one focused on advocacy and one on support. These spaces exist so we can connect without fear, hostility, or harm.
Thank you for standing with me, for valuing truth, and for understanding the importance of protecting both the message and the people delivering it. Compassion, honesty, and persistence are how we keep going—together. It’s important to recognize that when people can no longer argue with facts, all they have left are personal attacks.
Aubree Adams, Director of Every Brain Matters
Every Brain Matters (EBM) is a nonprofit founded as a project of Parents Opposed to Pot and developed by Aubree Adams, who personally witnessed the devastating effects of marijuana normalization and commercialization with her own family and community. EBM rejects the false narrative that marijuana legalization is a harmless expression of personal freedom and a solution to the drug crisis.
Please help us grow this movement—share this article and consider donating to support our outreach, education, and advocacy. Your support allows us to continue protecting families and informing the public. Thank you.
Use the article “Debunking Misinformation from the Marijuana Industry” as a resource to help counter false claims and challenge misleading narratives promoted by the marijuana industry and its supporters.
