Parents pressure clothing retailer Tilly’s to pull marijuana images

A parents organization is calling on clothing retailer Tilly’s to pull its youth-oriented merchandise that features images of marijuana leaves.

Members of Youth Matters, a group of Parent Teacher Student Assn. members from Huntington Beach, told the national retailer that clothing it sells, such as leggings, tops and swimsuits, with marijuana imagery could desensitize children to drug use.

“The more they see it, and the more it’s common in their world, it’s less likely that they’ll be shocked by it or concerned about it or listen to their parents about it,” said Kim Green, the chairwoman of the group.

In an email, the Irvine-based apparel company informed Green that it would remove the items from stores in Orange and Riverside counties. It was unclear, though, whether it would do so elsewhere or remove the items from its website.

A Tilly’s representative decline to comment.

Youth Matters said it became aware of the clothing several weeks ago when a parent saw a pair of leggings featuring marijuana leaves from See You Monday, a Los Angeles-based clothing brand that offers such items as the Snoop Dogg Rasta Leaves leggings on Tilly’s website.

Green said she hoped to get the retailer to remove the items from the website.

The Edison High School PTSA started Youth Matters in the fall of 2010 as a way to improve communication among students, teachers and parents about drug and alcohol use, Green said.

“We need to always keep our eyes open and stay aware, even if it’s uncomfortable,” she said. “Sometimes we don’t want to know because we’d have to do something about it.”

The organization said it planned to target other retailers that sell clothing with drug imagery.

“It’s a safety and life issue,” Green said. “It’s not like Pokemon cards. Kids are dying from [drugs].

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Twitter: @acocarpio

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Anthony Clark Carpio writes for Times Community News