Marijuana is now legal for adults over 21 in California and advertisements for marijuana dispensaries are popping up all over the Coachella Valley.  Studies have shown that teens who see marijuana billboards or visible storefronts are more likely to use marijuana in the future.  Billboards advertising marijuana dispensaries and growing spaces for lease are spread out on Interstate 10 as you enter the Coachella Valley. Take a drive down highway 111 from Palm Springs to Indio and you will probably lose count of the number of dispensaries you pass, it’s virtually impossible for our local youth to avoid marijuana.

Smoking marijuana isn’t the only way to get high. THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana, can be ingested in snacks like cookies and gummy bears or “vaped.” Dispensaries sell edibles which can easily be concealed by teens. Your child can eat these snacks in your living room, classroom, or anywhere else. It’s odorless and you won’t know the difference. Highly concentrated oils can be consumed in vape pens which are easy to hide and dissipate more quickly than traditional smoking. No more secluded spots in the desert or waiting until mom and dad leave the house, teens these days can eat an edible marijuana snack or take a quick hit off a vape pen in their bedroom.

417 Recovery Palm Desert has noticed an increase in teen marijuana use in Palm Desert and surrounding cities. Some signs of marijuana use include:

• acting out of character
• Isolating themselves
• increased irritability
• Poor memory
• loss of interest and motivation in school and other usual activities
• red or “bloodshot eyes”
• Hanging out with new friends that use marijuana
• stealing money or having money without having a job
• paraphernalia (rolling papers, pipes, lighters, Visine)

Marijuana use can have long-term consequences such as physical ailments and mental health disorders. If you believe your child may be struggling with marijuana use, please contact 417 Recovery Palm Desert to schedule a free assessment.