(WASHINGTON) — Marijuana use is on the rise among the nation’s high school students, according to a survey conducted by the National Institutes of Health.
The annual “Monitoring the Future” survey shows more than a third of high school seniors say they’ve tried marijuana within the past year, and views on pot are changing.
A record low number of eighth graders believe it’s harmful to occasionally smoke pot — just 20 percent of 12th graders agree.
Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, highlights the dangers of teens not understanding the harmful effects of regular marijuana use.
“Marijuana use that begins in adolescence increases the risk they will become addicted to the drug, she says in a statement. “The risk of addiction goes from about 1 in 11 overall to about 1 in 6 for those who start using in their teens, and even higher among daily smokers.”
The survey, conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan, also shows use of the prescription stimulant Adderall is up, but illicit drug use overall continues to decline, as tobacco use, and alcohol intake also fall.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio