by Paul Armentano

About the author: Paul Armentano is the publications director for the Washington, D.C.–based National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), which advocates the legalization of marijuana.

According to federal politicians, drug prohibitionists, and the majority of the national news media, adolescent marijuana use is soaring toward “epidemic” proportions. This claim has been made so frequently that many people are unaware that there exists any serious debate on the issue. But there is little tangible evidence behind the headlines. This latest round of reefer madness appears to be nothing more than a ploy to encourage legislators to stiffen penalties against adult users.

No Doubling of Users

Claim 1: Marijuana use among teens has doubled since 1992.

This statement is both misleading and inaccurate. The standard yardstick of adolescent marijuana use...