Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) is an agency within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is charged with leading the national effort to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug problems. In the following viewpoint, the CSAP reports that marijuana use is increasing among adolescents. Using marijuana seriously impedes teenagers’ ability to develop into healthy, well-adjusted adults, states the CSAP.Therefore, the organization concludes, the trend of increased marijuana use poses a threat to the nation’s teens as well as to the communities in which they live.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What three possible reasons does the CSAP offer for recent trends in marijuana use among teenagers?
2. What is...