Vaping Cannabidiol Fairly Common Among Teens

The prevalence was highest in current e-cigarette users and Hispanic and sexual minority populations.

HealthDay News Vaping cannabidiol (CBD) is common among US teens, according to a study published online Aug. 16 in JAMA Network Open.

Hongying Daisy Dai, Ph.D., from University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, and colleagues examined the prevalence of and factors associated with youths vaping CBD. The analysis included 28,291 students (aged 11 to 18 years) participating in the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey.

Researchers found that among current electronic cigarette users (2,448 individuals), 21.3% reported any past-month vaping of CBD and 6.3% reported that they did not know whether they had vaped CBD. Compared with non-Hispanic White respondents, Hispanic e-cigarette users were more likely than their peers to report currently vaping CBD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.9). Current CBD vaping was more likely among current e-cigarette users with higher frequency (≥20 vs ≤5 days; aOR, 1.5) and longer duration (2 to 3 years or >3 years vs <1 year; 2 to 3 years: aOR, 2.2; 3 years: aOR, 3.2). Among noncurrent e-cigarette users (25,091 individuals), 1.2% reported currently vaping CBD and 2.3% reported that they did not know. Vaping CBD was more likely among high school students vs middle school students (aOR, 4.2) and gay or lesbian (aOR, 2.9) or bisexual (aOR, 2.7) compared with heterosexual youths.

“The findings suggest that evidence-based educational campaigns, interventions, and public policy changes are needed to reduce the harmful health outcomes possible with vaping CBD among developing youths,” the authors write.

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