Our Blog
Marin Health Youth Partnership shares timely insights and relevant topics from our team and other influential thought leaders in youth substance use prevention. Stay informed about the latest trends, perspectives and tools aimed at creating healthier, safer communities for youth.
In many cases, parents in Marin using edibles has led to a more permissive attitude towards cannabis use. With parents replacing nightly glasses of wine with an edible or giving their kids access to their stash, many families are under the impression that weed is a safer alternative to other options.
We were so honored to have the chance to chat with Celeste Yvonne, a leading voice in the conversation around alcohol and parenting. In her book, It's Not About the Wine: The Loaded Truth Behind Mommy Wine Culture, Celeste unpacks the societal pressures that push parents—especially moms—toward alcohol and reveals some of the deeper issues at play
How do we practice true self-care—taking intentional steps to support ourselves and those around us in meaningful ways.
Written by Marin Teen Ada Perlsons. “Something is going on in Marin that isn’t in other communities. From the perspective of a young person growing up in Marin, I think the origin of this problem has to do with parental influence.”
While many of us are diving into the new year with fresh resolutions and goals, here at Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships, our mission remains steadfast: to build a stronger community that empowers parents with the tools they need to help their children thrive.
Considering the stakes, my mom really had no other choice but to educate me about drugs from an early age. But something that I’ve wondered is why other parents don’t talk to their kids about heavy topics such as this. I think this is because a lot of parents are just afraid to bring it up.
Your ability to protect your child is not gained from what you ask, it is earned from what you know. Remember you can ask lots of questions, but your teen may choose to remain silent, or even to lie. You want to be the kind of parent whose teen will choose to come to for loving and wise guidance.
What happens when two sommeliers, both at the height of their careers, meet and fall in love with the iconic French Laundry as their backdrop, start a family, and then decide to stop drinking entirely? You might be thinking their careers are over. But, for Ian and Carly Blessing the story was just beginning.
Halloween is a wonderful time for families to connect and create lasting memories. At each stage of development, we can set guidelines and expectations around safety and how to address alcohol and drugs during this holiday. Here’s how we can navigate Halloween for kids at different ages, along with valuable resources to support you along the way.
ZYN, named to sound like Zen, is being pushed as a harm-reduction alternative to cigarettes. Yet, in reality, they are another product being marketed to adolescents with deceptive tactics to get them hooked on Big Tobacco products.
As we embrace the new academic year, let's balance our hopes with mindful awareness of the challenges our children may face.
Planning a summer party but want to cut back on the alcohol for the sake of the kids and teens in your life? We have some great options for you to try!
This normalization of experimenting with different substances is beginning to creep into the lives of young students, and a dependence on drugs is spreading like wildfire.
It was a good day this month when news dropped that the e-cigarette maker, Juul Labs, will pay $462 million to six US states and Washington DC.
Now is an ideal time to model responsible drinking and talk about the risks of driving after consuming alcohol or drugs. Each of us can do our part to avoid preventable traffic accidents and keep our roads safe.
The reality of this time of year, with all the parties and get-togethers and family gatherings, is that often many of those festivities involve alcohol and other substances. So to help, MHYP has put together a list of 10 things you can do this holiday season to keep your tween and teens safe and enjoying the fun substance-free.
When more than 100 youths, many believed to have been fueled by alcohol, took to the streets of Mill Valley after a party was ended by police earlier this month, they did not hesitate to disturb local businesses, throw cans and bottles at officers and jump on a police car. The riotous behavior of these teens was out of the norm for Marin County – but the drinking was not.
“When I wrote my first article on fentanyl, I was floored by the devastation and loss that it is inflicting on communities. Since that time, I have done my best to help spread awareness surrounding the dangers of fentanyl. I’m happy to play a part in our community’s response to this crisis.”
As the leaves start to turn, the days shorten and the morning air gets crisp, Halloween lights emerge in our little neighborhood. This indicates the beginning of the winter holiday season. The holiday season starts on October 31st with Halloween, which has become a notorious holiday for youth trick-or-treating and adult drinking.
Simple searches with hashtags like #weed4sale, #oxy or #painpills will pull up story after story (that is IG or Snapchat stories) with pictures of drugs and cash and emojis such the Christmas tree, fire, and $$ that means it’s for sale. Requests are left in the comments or you can direct message the dealer.
The harmful combination of a still-forming mind, high-potency THC products, and a high frequency of use = Cannabis-Induced Psychosis. Yes, that’s a real diagnosis.
I write to honor and share with my own community and perhaps a broader one, the legacy of a brilliant young soul that I have had the privilege of being the mother of. These words will not be soft or vague or pretty. My vibrant boy/ man is dead.
The complete access to drugs, most of us have never heard of, are 5 minutes away from our homes. And any young person who is hurting knows right where to get them. I keep asking the question. Where is the outrage?
We are living in an unprecedented time. Our young people are in uncharted waters and may need extra empathy and patience. How we, as parents and caregivers, cope with sheltering in place provides a unique and rare opportunity to teach our kids real life skills about how to handle uncertainty, stress and grief.
“The gap between what parents know and what teens know about the drug scene here is huge,” is how Don Carney opens our conversation. He informs me bluntly, “Parents are out of the loop.” Despite the knowledge gaps, Don asserts there is plenty we can do to influence behaviors and take care of our children. The keys he offers coalesce around attention, attachment and agency.
Nic Sheff talked about how he started smoking pot at 11 years old and how that ended up spiraling into a full addiction. David Sheff contributed the parent side of the issue. Both Sheffs stressed the point that to counter the isolation of those who suffer from substance abuse – relationships and a community effort are needed.
“I love the youth-driven aspect of MHYP work. We are not treated like kids here, but real members of a meaningful community. This is happening to US — our generation and our peers. And local action is very important because we can react faster than national movements. This is a very real and pressing issue.”
“This is not the pot we grew up with,” is a phrase often used to sum up the complexities of what has happened to cannabis over the course of a generation or two. And yes, when left to stand alone as a justification for “just say no,” this statement rings hollow and hypocritical – but it actually hits at the core truth of the issue.
