Cannabis Concentrate Use Among Adolescents

Abstract

Research Article| December 01 2019 Cannabis Concentrate Use Among Adolescents AAP Grand Rounds (2019) 42 (6): 65. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.42-6-65 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Cannabis Concentrate Use Among Adolescents. AAP Grand Rounds December 2019; 42 (6): 65. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.42-6-65 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All PublicationsAll JournalsAAP Grand RoundsPediatricsHospital PediatricsPediatrics In ReviewNeoReviewsAAP NewsAll AAP Sites Search Advanced Search Topics: marijuana Source: Meier MH, Docherty M, Leischow SJ, et al. Cannabis concentrate use in adolescents. Pediatrics. 2019; 144(3): e20190338; doi: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-0338Google Scholar Investigators from Arizona State University conducted a study of adolescents to assess the proportion of cannabis concentrate users and the association of cannabis concentrate with other risky behaviors. Data were obtained from the 2018 Arizona Youth Survey, which is conducted every 2 years and administered to all Arizona schools that serve 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students. Students completed the survey at school on paper or online. On the survey, participants were queried about whether they ever used marijuana or cannabis concentrate and, if so, on how many occasions over their lifetime. Participants were also queried on their lifetime use of tobacco, e-cigarettes, and alcohol, as well as on several risk and protective factors for problem behaviors (such as perceived risk of harm of marijuana, peer substance use, and commitment to school). Investigators used descriptive statistics to determine the proportion of participants who tried cannabis concentrate in their lifetime. Regression analyses were used to assess for differences in other substance use and risk and protective factors among concentrate users, cannabis users who never tried concentrate, and nonusers. There were 47,142 participants included in analysis, of whom 33% reported cannabis use in their lifetime; 24% reported cannabis concentrate use. Among those who reported using cannabis, 72% also reported using cannabis concentrate. Concentrate users had significantly increased odds of other substance use and risk factors compared to cannabis users who never tried concentrate and nonusers. For instance, concentrate users had 3.2-fold increased odds of e-cigarette use and 1.8-fold increased odds of alcohol use compared to non-concentrate cannabis users; when compared to nonusers, these odds ratios were 24.5 and 13.9, respectively. Concentrate users also scored higher on every risk factor and lower on every protective factor, compared to non-concentrate cannabis users and nonusers, such as having significantly reduced odds of perceiving risk of harm of marijuana and significantly increased odds of low commitment to school. Investigators conclude that most adolescents who use cannabis report using cannabis concentrates, and those using concentrate are at increased risk for other substance use. Dr Wong has disclosed no financial relationship relevant to this commentary. This commentary does not contain a discussion of an unapproved/investigative use of a commercial product/device. The landscape of adolescent substance use continues to evolve. The use of marijuana and cannabis concentrate products (eg, hash oil, wax, crumble, shatter) that contain higher levels of active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has increased among adolescents.1 The last decade has seen an alarming rise in teen vaping, or use of e-cigarettes.2 Contributing to the rapid rise in e-cigarette and cannabis products is the declining perceived risk of these products, with legal adult use of e-cigarettes broadly and marijuana on a state-by-state basis.3 Adolescents often refer to vaping of cannabis concentrate as “dabbing/penning.” The combination of vaping and marijuana has recently drawn urgent public... You do not currently have access to this content.