Using recreational marijuana to celebrate the New Year? How you can be responsible.

Marijuana use often increases in December, according to studies published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Local cannabis dispensaries also report an increase in customers ahead of New Year's Eve as people stock up on marijuana for personal use to ring in the New Year.

But as we welcome 2025, these dispensaries are also cautioning their customers to celebrate responsibly.

"Celebrate in moderation, you know, with everything in life, enjoy in moderation, be aware of your limits and don't go overboard," says Declan Reilly, Retail Operations Manager of Bulldog Cannabis in Thousand Palms. "New Year's is when everyone tends to go overboard and cannabis is the last thing you want to go overboard with. You find yourself taking a few too many edibles and you're going to have a bad night."

Reilly also warns that it's a bad idea to get behind the wheel after consuming cannabis products.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Office says penalties for driving while impaired by marijuana are identical to driving while under the influence of alcohol.

The California Office of Traffic Safety, or OTS, says an offense for driving while impaired by marijuana could cost you $13,500. It's also dangerous – 42% of drivers killed in motor vehicle accidents tested positive for drugs, legal and/or illegal.

OTS also writes that people who drive immediately after smoking marijuana can be up to 35% more likely to be involved in a crash, as the drug can slow your ability to make decisions and reaction time.

The Sheriff's Office also says you should avoid smoking around children, and to be sure to have a designated, sober driver instead of driving yourself.