Is Cali Roots Festival safe for all ages?
Reggae bands rocked the stage, Friday, to kick off the 10th annual Cali Roots Festival in Monterey. ” The music is good. They’re jamming. Everyone’s smoking so that’s pretty cool , ” said attendee Joey Precieado .
It’s no secret that some festival-goers look forward to smoking weed while listening to their favorite bands. At the same time, many kids are brought along to the event. Michelle House with the Monterey County Health Department said secondhand smoke, no matter what kind, can be harmful. ” We have small children. We have teenagers. We have people who are still finishing their development. Their brain is still developing, and they’re being exposed to these chemicals, ” said House.
House said cannabis smokers exhale an active ingredient known as THC. She explained that the person next to them could breathe it in too. “According to the C alifornia Department of Public Health, the statistics are showing, that when you are exposed to that, it will show up in your urine and your blood, ” said House.
The festival allows people of all ages to attend. Its founders said they’ve welcomed kids since the beginning. Making room for everyone is even a part of their motto. “C ali Roots Festival is all about bringing people together. We just really wanted people to have a good time together. That’s what it was built on and that’s where we are now, ” said Cali Roots Festival co-producer, Dan Sheehan.
Founders, Dan Sheehan and Jeff Monser , chose not to comment on the presence of marijuana at the festival. They said there are many options for parents, and kids, wanting to get away from the crowds. ” We have all kinds of stuff here for the kids. We have safe zones for people to go. We have painting here for the kids. We have all kinds of arts and crafts, ” said Cali Roots Festival co-producer, Jeff Monser .
“We’re raising a little one, and it’s the environment of ‘together in unity.’ It’s wonderful to have her around that, ” said attendee, Shelby Wasson . Parents said they plan to take full advantage of the activities for kids, but the opportunity to expose them to a loving community is what they look forward to most.
