As the use of marijuana continues to rise among Santa Clarita youth, concerned parents gathered at City Hall for the “Marijuana: Hidden In Plain Sight” event to learn more about the drug.

Detective Bill Velek with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station was there to answer questions and explain the different drugs that teens are using and what parents can do to educate their children about the dangers of using them.

“We have to explain to (children) why it’s legal for adults (but not for them),” said Velek. “It’s not good for your brain. Your brain is not done growing it’s going to make permanent brain damage.”

Velek stressed that education for both the parent and the child was the key to stopping the drug problem among Santa Clarita youth.

The education is increasingly important, he said, because of new laws giving drug abusers shorter sentences gives the impression that there are no consequences.

“(With) Prop 47, we made the possession of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin a misdemeanor. It’s a misdemeanor to be in possession of those drugs,” said Velek. “As we do that, what if our kids recognize that ‘oh it must not be so bad.”

The marijuana that is being smoked by minors is coming from legal dispensaries, he said, and is very potent.

“You get someone that is 18 to early 20s who has a medical marijuana card. They go down, they buy it and they show up to a party with it,” said Velek.

He cited the biggest danger was marijuana extracts, not medical marijuana being abused.

These substances, commonly referred as hash, hash oil, honey oil, wax or butter, have become more popular in recent years.

Tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive found in marijuana, also known as THC, is found in very high levels in these extracts and can cause seizures when overdosed on.

“Marijuana back in the 60s, 70s, the marijuana plant, when tested, the THC levels were at three to five percent,” said Velek. “THC right now, good marijuana coming out of our dispensaries, were at 20 to 25 percent THC. Extracts are at 90 percent THC. It’s pure THC.”

Throughout the room, displays were set up showing the different ways teenagers have tried to hide the drugs from authority figures, ranging from fake soda cans to tennis balls.

Velek encouraged parents to conduct random searches of their children’s bedrooms and backpacks as a way of knowing what their children were doing.

Not only can youth hide drugs in their rooms, but they can use them in ways that make it seem as if they are simply eating an apple.

Edibles are made with the extracts and are very hard to find due to the fact that they do not have the same distinct scent as the marijuana plant itself.

“(It’s) very difficult for us to find unless it’s labeled,” said Velek. “If they take it out of the original packaging and put it in something else, we are never gonna notice it. That’s where mom and dad are going to notice it.”

Velek stressed the point that educating the youth is important, so they are aware of what is out there and what to avoid.

“We need to make sure they know this stuff is out there because maybe your son or daughter is not using it, but they go to a party and this stuff is there,” said Velek. “We have to warn them that it’s available and it might be there and they don’t know what they’re eating.”

Students are urged to notify administration and the sheriff’s department if they see drug use on campus to help solve the issue.

“We need you guys to tell us, we need the kids that are good kids to tell us what’s going on,” said Velek.