Increase in Teen Marijuana Use Linked to E-Cigarettes: Study

The biggest increase was seen among high school students, with a doubling in numbers over a two-year period, rising from 5% to 14%.

According to research from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, cannabis e-cigarettes are increasingly becoming the most popular method of cannabis delivery among all American teenagers, with their frequency also on the rise.

Research has revealed that American teenagers who smoke marijuana do so at a frequency of six times or more per month, which increases their likelihood of also smoking nicotine and marijuana by over 40 times.

So far, there has been little research on trends in e-cigarette use, including frequency of use, emerging differences, and simultaneous use of other substances, which are crucial for monitoring and planning public health interventions. The findings of a recent study have been published in the journal "Addiction".

The prevalence and patterns of frequent marijuana use among American adolescents are increasing, along with the prevalence of electronic cigarettes containing marijuana and nicotine products. Understanding this trend is crucial public health information, says Catherine Keyes, an epidemiology professor at Columbia Mailman School. "Given growing concerns about the safety of marijuana use, especially among frequent users who may develop cannabis use disorder, these findings suggest a need for public health interventions and enhanced regulation.

The investigation's findings were based on the representative annual survey "Monitoring the Future" conducted in the United States, which covered 51,052 school-aged youth. Schools were randomly selected and invited to participate in the survey, which lasted for two years.

From 2017 to 2019, there has been an increase in the frequency of marijuana use and consumption in the past 30 days (from 2.1% to 5.4%), while occasional use has also risen from 1.2% to 3.5%.

In the past 30 days, there has been a decline in both frequent (from 3.8% to 2.1%) and occasional (from 6.9% to 4.4%) marijuana use without smoking.

Certain groups, such as Hispanic/Latino youths or those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, have experienced a significant increase in frequent use of marijuana and consumption (for instance, the prevalence among Hispanic/Latino youths went from 2.2% in 2017 to 6.7% in 2019).

According to Keyes, tobacco use, e-cigarettes, and binge eating are all closely related to frequent marijuana use, whether it is smoked or not.

Evidence suggests that young adults who use nicotine, particularly through e-cigarettes, are more likely to subsequently use marijuana.

In fact, teenagers who have smoked nicotine more than 10 times are 42 times more likely to use marijuana in the past 30 days compared to those who do not smoke, while those who have never smoked nicotine are 10 times more likely to do so.

Considering that teenagers are more likely to hide marijuana use compared to other drugs, this pattern of marijuana use may encourage more frequent use," Keyes commented.

The popularity rates are increasing among students of all grades, with high school students experiencing the greatest burden. Their popularity rate in the past 30 days has almost doubled, from 5% in 2017 to 14% in 2019. The increase from 7.5% to 14% between 2018 and 2019 for this grade level is the second-largest yearly increase in substance use popularity rates ever recorded by "Monitoring the Future.

The prevalence of daily marijuana use has reached a level in 2020 that is higher than any year since 1981, according to Keyes who sounds a further alarm for several reasons. Heavy cannabis use is linked to adverse cognitive and social outcomes in adolescents, as well as a trajectory towards long-term drug use that may result in poor health and other negative consequences.

Equally concerning is the fact that high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can be transmitted through smoking devices, which may pose dangerous consequences for young users with low tolerance.

Furthermore, it is noteworthy that there is evidence to suggest that the increase in the number of smokers that we have seen is mainly concentrated among non-Hispanic white individuals and socioeconomically privileged adolescents, who may reflect the higher cost of smoking devices compared to other management methods, as pointed out by Keyes.

As the legalization of marijuana continues in various states throughout the United States and the for-profit industry experiences a surge in products, delivery systems, potency, and marketing, there is a growing need for increased attention toward youth trends, including investments in evidence-based prevention and intervention efforts.

Source: SciTechDaily