Summary
Introduction:
This text provides a summary of a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that report the global prevalence of cannabis vaping in adolescents by survey year and school grades. The review includes 17 studies with a total of 198,845 adolescents, all from the US and Canada. The study aims to investigate survey year and school grades as sources of variability in the prevalence of adolescent cannabis vaping.
Key Points:
* The review found that the pooled lifetime prevalence of adolescent cannabis vaping doubled from 2013-2016 to 2019-2020.
* The pooled 12-month prevalence also doubled from 2017-2018 to 2019-2020, and the 30-day prevalence increased seven-fold during the same period.
* all studies included in the review were from the US and Canada.
* The preference for cannabis products among adolescents may be shifting from dried herbs to cannabis oil.
* The increase in the prevalence of cannabis vaping may be due to the increasing uptake of vaping products, wider access to cannabis vaping products through legalization, and the decreasing perception of harm associated with cannabis use.
* There is a potential gateway effect between nicotine and cannabis vaping, and adolescents who use nicotine e-cigarettes may be at an increased risk of vaping cannabis.
* Cannabis vaping is associated with a range of adverse health outcomes, and heavy cannabis use is associated with poorer cognitive development in adolescents.
Main Message:
The findings of this study suggest that the prevalence of cannabis vaping among adolescents is increasing, and more effective prevention and response measures are required to mitigate this trend. The study also highlights the need for better regulation of cannabis vaping products and targeted messaging to young people about the risks associated with cannabis vaping. It is essential to address the potential gateway effect between nicotine and cannabis vaping and to provide education about the health risks associated with cannabis use, particularly among adolescents.
Citation
Lim CCW, Sun T, Leung J, et al. Prevalence of adolescent Cannabis Vaping: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of US and Canadian Studies. JaMa pediatrics. 2022;176(1):42-51. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.4102
