$1M Cannabis Youth Education Grant​ Awarded To Palm Springs

PALM SPRINGS, CA — The city of Palm Springs has been awarded a $1 million grant from the California Board of State and Community Corrections to focus on the impacts of cannabis legalization, it was announced Monday.

The city partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs to apply for the Cannabis Youth Education Grant, which will be used to develop resources to address adolescent cannabis offenses; decrease cannabis use among youth ages 12-18; and provide dedicated public safety personnel to assist with cannabis enforcement, according to a news release from the city.

Cannabis has been legal in California for medical use since 1996 and for recreational use since late 2016. In 2009, Palm Springs became the first city in Riverside County to permit medical marijuana dispensaries. It also became the first city to OK a cannabis lounge in 2018.

“The city of Palm Springs is delighted that our grant application for this needed project scored so high, second in California,” said Mayor Christy Holstege. “There is no doubt that $1 million dollars will go a long way when it comes to educating at-risk and opportunity youth about the systemic impacts of legalized cannabis — and we can think of no better partner than the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs to help implement this important initiative.”

According to a news release from the city, the grant funds allow for the Boys and Girls Club to serve as the location for the "Cannabis Education Center/SMART Move 4 Healthy Lifestyle Project," which will focus on middle school and high school students "to ensure the safe, healthy development of at-risk youth." Additionally, the project calls for the implementation of a citywide youth substance use and intervention initiative with the Boys and Girls Club serving as a venue for summits and classes related to youth substance abuse education and prevention.

The city will serve as the lead public agency on the project, working with the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs.

“It’s a privilege to work with the city on such an important project. Over the course of the next three years, we will be turning our Health and Wellness Center into a cannabis learning facility,” said Margaret Keung, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs. “Our goal is to educate students on the impact cannabis has on development and to prevent cannabis misuse among teens and preteens in a city that has seen a significant growth in cannabis businesses.”

The Boys and Girls Club of PalmSprings serves over 1,700 boys and girls annually.