LAYOUT: Connie Liu, Jamie Wang GRAPHICS: Connie Liu, Jamie Wang, Emily Xu COPY: Connie Liu, Alexa Pilgrim, Dhruv Singhania, Kamille Suayan, Jamie Wang, Emily Xu
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Additional reporting by Claire Mason
Despite new laws in California and other states to legalize recreational and medical marijuana usage, little has changed in the overall consumption of the drug, according to the American Journal of Public Health. Marijuana now provides revenue to the state through taxes, and it is better regulated than before. While students who already use marijuana now have more access to the drug and may use it more, students who have never smoked are still just as unlikely to use marijuana now compared to before it was legal, according to Science Daily. But along with the technological improvements of drug gadgets and devices, drug use is more convenient and discreet. “I think that we are seeing an increase [in marijuana use at school] since January,” said Principal Patricia Kurtz. “There seems to be a perception by students that when marijuana was legalized, it was legalized for everyone.” Increased drug use is not only limited to marijuana. “I also think that vapes have made [drug use] much easier because there are vapes that look like jump drives, and so it’s hard sometimes to even see what being done,” Kurtz said. “There’s a lack of smoke with vapes too, so it is more difficult to identify students.”
Drug use in the context of mental health tends to come up as a negative coping skill, said wellness counselor Jill Ma. “If any substance is being used in excess, it can — not always — indicate that a student is coping with something and they’re using it as a way to escape or numb any pain they might be going through,” Ma said. “Some people just do it because they think it’s fun — I mean quite honestly it’s not always a mental health thing — sometimes it’s just recreational and sometimes it’s for coping … So something I talk to a lot of the students about are having healthy coping skills, which can include talking and exercising, making connections with people, getting enough sleep, stuff like that.” Unless there is a risk of self-harm, or of harming others, counselors will keep everything confidential when addicted students ask for help. “Everything is kept confidential,” said Academic Counselor Josephine Ho, “so we give them advice and support whichever way they need it, and if we need to contact agencies or other people within the school for additional support we would do that.”
*names have been changed to preserve anonymity
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