The testimony of a person incarcerated. 

By an anonymous writer from jail, 32 years of age.

How did this all begin? That is probably the hardest question anyone has ever asked me. The easy answer is truly just an excuse. You see, I’m writing this response from jail where I’ve been living for the last four months. 

Being incarcerated might seem normal to some but not for...

Essay and artwork by a BRITE youth spokesperson.

I have never been pressured to vape before.     

I am lucky enough to say that I was raised in a household where my mom was always making sure I was safe and happy. However, I know this isn’t the case for many others.  

Vaping has always been a prevalent problem at my school and community. So often I would...

This post was written by a CSUCI student.

Today it is almost impossible to avoid social media no matter where you are. We are completely inundated with technology and social media platforms, and we have to wonder what the effects of that are for kids and teenagers, as well as adults. Teenagers are the primary concern when discussing what social media usage does to the brain. Most if not all...

By Kai Yi Wang, a BRITE youth spokesperson.

“I’m gonna hang out with a few friends this Friday and smoke a little weed.”

I ignored him, working on my global paper in front of me, mumbling to myself about what I would write. I never really paid much attention to comments like these because jokes about drugs and sex were rampant at school. Despite only being in the 8th grade, it...

Content warning: this post contains a brief mention of domestic violence as well as drug use.

Written by a Ventura County young adult.

Throughout my life I always told myself I would never try or be peer pressured into using any type of drugs or alcohol. My story began when I met an ex of mine. I was super head over heels, and in that moment I would have done just about anything for...

Did you Know? Answer These Questions About Edibles.

What are marijuana edibles?

Edibles, made with marijuana leaves or higher potency cannabis extracts, are a popular, less-detectable alternative to smoking marijuana. They may look like common baked goods, candies, and beverages, and are often designed in a way that appeals to youth. Package labeling may indicate THC-laden contents, but...

This article was written by a CSUCI student.

There aren’t too many issues that collect the attention of so many as marijuana. This has been a heavily debated topic regarding its legalization for several decades, and appears to have almost no end in sight. Those that advocate for legalization claim that it has various health benefits such as pain relief and relief from traumatic disorders...

We recently had the pleasure of working with students from CSUCI’s Service Learning program. Some of those students conducted surveys about attitudes around marijuana, vaping, and alcohol in both Ventura and Los Angeles. Here are the questions and responses. 

• How do you feel about marijuana? 

• How do you feel about vaping?

• How do you feel about alcohol? 

• (For...

The LGBTQ+ community suffers from high rates of substance use. Up to 30% of the LGBTQ+ community struggles with substance use compared to 9% of the general population. Why is this? Some factors include their experiences of bullying, hate, discrimination, stigmatization, rejection by those around them including their family and/or peers, isolation, and other extreme stressors. LGBTQ+...

This information was originally published on Marijuana Factcheck, a project of Ventura County Behavioral Health. From their website: 

Everyone wants to make the best and most informed decisions they can, for themselves and their families. But decisions can only be as good as the facts they are based upon.

We’ve been hearing from a lot of people who would like to see a clear,...

By Stephanie Escobedo Tirado, local CSUCI student.

It’s easy to say, “You’re young; live a little!” Or, “That stuff only happens in the movies.” What are the effects of these words on young people? 

Here’s the impact that many don’t want to admit: it’s hurting teenagers. 

Now, I don’t mean all teenagers have that one person...