*Names have been changed to protect sources

From the point of view of *Richard Lewis, he estimated that about half of the students that smoke weed are dealers too. “Some people you have to call and they’ll bring it to you,” said Lewis. “Others just constantly have it on them.”

Lewis first started doing drugs when he was in seventh grade. A few high school students were passing around marijuana and asked Lewis if he wanted some.“I’ve always just been the person to be like, ‘Yeah, why not’,” said Lewis.

Lewis isn’t alone. Out of the 120 students who were surveyed at NPHS, 33% reported using and 67% of students said they know a friend that smokes weed. With more and more states legalizing the use of marijuana, it’s not hard to imagine why students find it okay to use. Many students begin smoking pot because they think it’s a fun thing to do with friends, and that it will relieve their stress. “It sounded like fun, and then I did it, and it actually was,” said *Greg Hardling.

Hardling had his first encounter with weed when he was in sixth grade. Hardling and his friends were at a local hangout in Hastings when they all decided to smoke. “It was really good, so I kept doing it.”