Marijuana Use Increase Among Teens, As Perceived Risk Decrease

The use of "bath salts," ecstasy, and tobacco among teens has decreased in the past decade, as fewer adolescents perceive marijuana as a risky or harmful drug, according to a nationwide survey.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institutes of Health released the 2013 Monitoring the Future survey on Wednesday. The annual survey measures drug use and attitudes among eighth, 10^th and 12^th graders across the country, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Based on the recent survey, less than 10 percent of students in all three grades said they smoked a cigarette in the last month. That compares with 16.7 percent of students in 2003 and 24.7 percent in 1993.

The use of alcohol and substances commonly referred to as bath salt have also been on the decline.

Despite these bright spots seen in the survey, the

However, there are higher rates of marijuana use among adolescents.

About 6.5 percent of high school seniors said they smoked marijuana daily in the last year, compared to 6 percent in 2003 and 2.4 percent in 1993. Nearly 23 percent of seniors said they had smoked pot in the month before the survey, and about 36 percent said they had smoked it in the last year.

"These increases in marijuana use over the past few years are a serious setback in our nation's efforts to raise a healthy generation of young people," Gil Kerlikowske, director of National Drug Control Policy, said in a statement.

According to administers of the survey, the perceived risk of being a regular marijuana user has "dropped dramatically" among high schoolers.

The survey reported that 39.5 percent of 12^th graders see perceive regular marijuana use as harmful, down from 44.1 percent last year.

In a statement, the National Institute on Drug Abuse said they believe the softening attitude toward marijuana is "reflected in continued high rates of marijuana use in all three grades and could predict higher use in future years."

"Teens deserve to grow up in an environment where they are prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century, and drug use never factors into that equation. Today's news demands that all of us recommit to bolstering the vital role prevention and involved parenting play in keeping young people safe, strong, and ready to succeed," Kerlikowske said.