The Teen Weed Crisis: What Parents in Marin Need to Know

Social media is fueling a teen cannabis crisis, and Marin is feeling the hit. What your child sees their friends doing online is quickly becoming one of the leading reasons kids start using.

New research from the University of Southern California shows that what teens see online can dramatically influence whether they start using marijuana.

Being exposed to frequent marijuana posts made kids 60% more likely to start using within a year. And it is not just cannabis ads. E-cigarette TikToks were linked to a 74% increase in marijuana initiation. But here is the real kicker: teens’ friends are driving the trend more than influencers or celebrities. Seeing cannabis posts from friends made teens 235% more likely to start using within the year, a bigger influence than social media influencers (114%) and far beyond anything celebrities post.

This is a clear sign that we need to pay attention. For parents, it’s about staying tuned into who our kids follow, what they are seeing, and the tone within their friend groups. For community leaders and policymakers, it’s a call to recognize that constant online promotion of cannabisand vaping is contributing to a growing health concern for young people — and to take steps that help protect them.

Why This Hits Marin Especially Hard

Marin County teens are using cannabis at rates higher than state and national averages. Easy access, high-potency products, and a local culture that can sometimes downplay risks all contribute to this trend. With legalization has come a normalization, but the products of today are far stronger than what parents may remember from their own teen years.

Why Teens Use

When we talk with teens in Marin, they share many reasons for using cannabis. Understanding these reasons helps parents respond with empathy instead of just “Don’t do it.” Here are the most common motivations and ways you can open up conversation:

1. For enjoyment or experimentation: “I just wanted to try it.”

• How to respond: “I get that curiosity is normal and so is wanting to take risks. Can we talk about how today’s cannabis is a lot stronger than it used to be and what that means for your health and brain?”

2. To fit in: “Everyone was doing it.”

• How to respond: “It can be hard to go against the group. What would make it easier to stick to your own choices, even if friends are using?”

3. To cope with stress, anxiety, or other emotions: ““It helps me relax.”

• How to respond: “I hear that you’ve been feeling stressed. Let’s figure out together what’s going on and look for ways to manage it that don’t harm your mental health in the long run.”

4. Because they believe it is harmless: “It’s natural — it’s not dangerous.”

• How to respond: “I understand why it might seem that way, especially with how it’s marketed. The THC in today’s products is manufactured to be unnaturally high compared to the 2-4% THC organically found in the plant. High potency products  can affect mood, memory, and motivation, especially in a developing brain.”

5. Easy access and normalization: “It’s just around all the time.”

• How to respond: “It’s true that access is easy now. That makes it even more important to be clear about your choices and the life you want for yourself.”

6. For sleep or physical discomfort: “It helps me sleep.”

• How to respond: “Sleep is important, and I want to help you get it. Let’s explore healthy sleep strategies and see what’s really causing the trouble.”

Connection = Prevention

In the end, the most powerful prevention tool we have is our connection with our children. Listening without judgment. Being present. Helping our teens name and accept their emotions. Guiding them toward choices that protect both their mental health and their future.

Our kids are growing up in a world we could not have imagined at their age, but they still need what kids have always needed: parents who see them, hear them, and walk alongside them as they navigate life.