STIIIZY faces another suit over marketing to teens, psychosis claims
Twin sisters in California sued cannabis leader STIIIZY last week, alleging its high-potency vaping products and youth-oriented marketing led them to develop cannabis-induced psychosis and drop out of high school.
The lawsuit, filed Dec. 12 in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims the company marketed dangerous THC vaping products to teenagers while concealing psychiatric risks. The plaintiffs, identified as Jane Does 1 and 2 from Kern County, began using STIIIZY products in middle school, drawn by colorful devices and sweet-flavored cannabis strains.
“Instead of warning of the dangers posed by its high-potency cannabis and vapes, STIIIZY markets its products as medicine for angst and anxiety,” according to the complaint.
According to the complaint, one sister began vaping “when recreational cannabis was legalized and the industry was established. Because of this, cannabis was normalized and did not seem unsafe to her.”
STIIIZY, which generates over $25 million monthly in revenue largely from vape sales, defended its practices.
“We do not market or sell our products to minors and clearly state on our packaging that cannabis products may only be possessed or consumed by persons 21 or older,” a company spokesperson told Law360 on Monday.
The lawsuit targets one of California’s most successful cannabis companies. STIIIZY currently dominates the state’s vape market, with all ten of the best-selling vapes in California – the largest cannabis market in the United States – being STIIIZY products. The company operates 32 retail locations in California alone, including four in San Francisco.
The suit alleges STIIIZY’s vape products contain THC concentrations up to 92% – significantly higher than traditional cannabis flower at 25-35%. The plaintiffs claim this potency, combined with marketing featuring “eye-catching colors and patterns” and “attractive young people engaged in cool social activities,” made the products particularly dangerous for teenage users.
The complaint details how the sisters accessed STIIIZY products through local smoke shops that allegedly didn’t check IDs. Jane Doe 1 “almost exclusively” used STIIIZY products, purchasing a “Starter Kit” and favoring strains like “OG Kush” and “Sour Diesel.” Her sister began vaping around age 13 in seventh grade.
The plaintiffs also claim STIIIZY intentionally designs products to appeal to youth, offering vapes in bright colors that “look more like colorful pens, cell phones, and highlighters.” One model described in the filing, the “Red Edition,” resembles a red highlighter marker.
The filing comes amid growing scrutiny of potent cannabis products in general. California emergency room visits for cannabis-induced psychosis rose 54% from 2016 to 2019, reaching 1,053 cases, court documents show.
The sisters claim their mental health deteriorated rapidly after beginning regular use. One sister allegedly attempted suicide twice in 2020, while both experienced paranoia and hallucinations. The complaint states they “lost years of their life to STIIIZY” and suffered significant educational and economic setbacks.
Both plaintiffs report severe psychiatric symptoms they attribute to STIIIZY product use. The suit seeks unspecified damages for negligence, fraud, and failure to warn, arguing the company’s age verification system is “rudimentary and ineffective.”
Last year, a prominent Los Angeles cannabis trade group announced dozens of retailers would boycott STIIIZY products amid separate allegations reported by the Los Angeles Times that the company’s founder had connections to illegal dispensaries.
To add to that, in February, a $150 million federal racketeering lawsuit filed in Georgia alleged STIIIZY and other companies sold marijuana products illegally labeled as hemp. In Illinois, plaintiffs claimed STIIIZY’s Delta-8 products contained higher THC levels than permitted. More recently, residents in Missouri alleged similar violations regarding THC content in supposedly hemp-derived products, court records show. STIIIZY has denied all allegations in these cases.
