(CBS/LA Story)

For today’s teens and young adults, substances like kratom, CBD products, and nicotine vapes exist in a gray zone. They’re legal in many states. They’re sold openly. They’re marketed with words like natural, herbal, wellness, and stress relief.

Legality does not mean it is harmless, but it does give the illusion of safety.

These products often bypass the stigma associated with illicit drugs, making them easier to experiment with—and harder to recognize as a problem when use escalates.

“Young people aren’t trying to rebel,” says one Nate’s Place Peer Counselor. “They’re trying to cope.”

Adolescence and young adulthood are periods of:

•          Rapid brain development
•        Emotional intensity
•         High stress and identity formation

When legal substances promise calm, focus, or belonging, they can feel like solutions—especially in a culture that offers little space to talk openly about mental health.

And because these substances are legal, adults often miss the warning signs. Because addiction doesn’t always start with something illegal. Sometimes, it starts at the checkout counter.

In Ventura County, youth have a place they can turn to – one that offers them hope without judgement for youth facing addiction, trauma and other mental health issues. Check out the recent CBS profile on Nate’s Place.

How Nate’s Place is helping Ventura County teens and young adults overcome addiction