MADISON, Wis. -- A new report says more teens are using marijuana, and some said medical marijuana legislation is giving teens the perception that it might be safer to smoke marijuana.

A passionate hearing on medical marijuana in Wisconsin was held before the state Senate and Assembly health committees Tuesday.

On the heels of this debate, a new federal survey of 47,000 students by Monitoring The Future found that marijuana and prescription drug use is up among teens. Researchers said they believe the increase of teens smoking marijuana is partly linked to the debate over medical use of the drug.

Lodi High School students sat in on the public hearing on medical marijuana at the state Capitol Tuesday.

"I don't smoke marijuana. I'm a teenager that doesn't want to see other people do that either," said Alex Minter, a Lodi High School student.

"Kids understand that this is a drug that's going to help other people like it can help their moms or their dads or brothers. I don't think people use it as much as people really think we do," said Erica Delgado, a Lodi High School student.

But Dr. Michael Miller, director of Meriter NewStart, said marijuana use is increasing among teens.

"Marijuana use is increasing. Kids are doing this stuff," Miller said. "We know that kids don't perceive as much harm from prescription drugs because they think, 'Oh, it's a medicine; it's safe. It's made by a pharmaceutical company; it's safe; people take them to get well."

Miller said he agrees with the survey that the increase in teen use is linked to the debate over medical marijuana.

"And when you attach to marijuana the idea, 'Oh, it's a medicine; it's helpful.' It tends to shift the thinking about it that this is a pretty benign product," Miller said.

As the debate continues, Miller said parents are key in the discussion.

"It's very important for parents to convey proper attitudes in what their expectations are for their kids," Miller said.

"I think that parents should still go about the same way of teaching their kids that it's not right to do drugs illegally, just like you're not supposed to go and ask your friends who are on OxyContin or Vicodin for their prescriptions. It's the same exact thing," Minter said.

Minter suffers from the same illness as Jacki Rickert, who the Wisconsin medical marijuana bill is named after. Minter said she understands a little bit more what this bill would mean to people like Rickert.

The study found that some drug use among teens has decreased. The survey found that teens are cutting down on cigarettes, meth and binge drinking but that more students in the eighth, 10th and 12th grades are smoking marijuana and getting high on prescription pain pills and drugs to treat attention deficit disorder.

Both the state Assembly and Senate committees still need to schedule a vote on the bill. If passed, the bill would legalize marijuana for medical patients with a prescription only.