Teens who tried marijuana have used it in more than one form

Most teenagers who have tried marijuana have used the drug in more than one form, including cannabis-based products that are smoked, eaten or steamed, according to new studies from the US. USC.

The study, published Friday in JAMA Network Open, raises concerns about adolescent health in a thriving cannabis market that praises elegantly packaged products and boasts a range of health benefits.

"Cannabis use in adolescence increases the risk of chronic use throughout adulthood, addiction, and cognitive development," said the principal author of the 39, study by Adam Leventhal, professor of preventive and psychological medicine and director of USC Health, Emotion and Addictions. of USC medicine.

"In recent years, the perception of teenagers has changed.The legalization and marketing of cannabis promotes the perception that this drug is not harmful," Leventhal said. "On the way to work, I'm passing a billboard for the delivery of marijuana directly to your home." Marijuana has become popular.

In a survey of 3,177 10-year-old students in the Los Angeles area, Leventhal and colleagues collected questionnaire data in 10 high schools in Los Angeles from January to October 2015, three years before the legalization of recreational marijuana in California in 2018.

Grade 10 students were asked, "Have you ever used the following substances in your life? Combustible cannabis was labeled as "smoking marijuana" (or weed, hashish, reefer or bud); vaping has been formulated as a liquid pot, a tampon or a pen against weeds; edible marijuana included beverages infused with THC (the psychoactive compound of cannabis), brownies, butter, and oil.

Of the 33.9% of students who reported having ever used cannabis, smoking was the most popular, followed by cannabis products, edible or vaporized. Most Grade 10 students (61.7%) who had ever used cannabis used several products to administer the drug.

Notably, 7.8% of cannabis users "never used" had never smoked pot, but rather ingested cannabis via edible products or steam.

"A key question is whether a new group of teenagers who have traditionally been exposed to the risk of smoking marijuana has been brought to use the drug in these alternative, non-smoking forms," ​​said Leventhal, a researcher. corresponding author of the study. In other words, cannabis-based products, such as chewing gum-flavored liquid vapot, may be of interest to teenage users who would otherwise be diverted by the smell or strong sensation of smoking smoke. marijuana.

This study, funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (R01-DA033296), is part of an on-going project focusing on trends in substance use and mental health over time.

Previous Leventhal studies have shown that the use of digital media is related to behavioral and attention problems in children, and that higher concentrations of nicotine in the vaping liquid used by adolescents are associated with the consumption of traditional cigarettes.

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More information:
JAMA Network Open (2018). DOI: 10.1001 / jamanetworkopen.2018.2765