A new national study from the Partnership at Drugfree.org found heavy marijuana use up 80% in the last three years. One in ten teenagers uses marijuana 20 times each month.
More than 70% of teenagers say they have friends who use pot regularly.
"It was shocking when I heard which ones of them had done drugs," says 16-year-old Cassidy DeGreen.
DeGreen has never touched marijuana, but she has seen more teens her age and younger, who are regular users.
"I would have never thought that those people who would go together and do that," DeGreen said.
Despite that, it is happening. And addiction counselors say parents attitudes are part of the problem.
"It's seen as fine, the teens justify it as a little bit of pot, God created it, it can't be bad, it's not addictive, is something we hear all the time," Sean Hannon, with Safe Harbor said. Safe Harbor is faith based recovery program that works with parents and teens who are struggling with addiction.
Hannon says parents usually don't know or aren't aware of the seriousness of the issue, until it is staring them in the face.
"If there's not a peak crisis, you know an arrest at school, or some sort of drug possession, or getting caught in a car, then it's unfortunate but I think families and parents even of these teens that are struggling with this tend to ignore the problem," Hannon said.
Sandor Cheka with Addiction Coalition agrees.
"When their own child is doing it, they just figure, they're sowing their wild oats, they'll grow out of it, it's going to be ok," said Cheka.
Cheka also says that modern day glorification of marijuana usage also contributes to the use of harder drugs.
"They can lace it with cocaine, ecstasy, heroine, any a number of things and then kids get that taste and think they like that so they try more of that substance than just marijuana," says Cheka.
Another reason addiction and recovery counselors say teens are using marijuana more is because teens equate it to alcohol use.
