Cannabis Legalization and Adolescent Use of Electronic Vapor Products, Cannabis, and Cigarettes. Issue 1 (23rd January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bhatia, Devika; Hinckley, Jesse; Mikulich, Susan; Sakai, Joseph
• Is Part Of: Journal of addiction medicine. Volume 16:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: e16
• Page End: e22
• Publication Date: 2022-01-23
• Subjects: adolescent -- cigarette medical cannabis -- recreational cannabis -- vaping; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Substance abuse -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Substance-Related Disorders -- Periodicals; 616.86005
• DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000831
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1932-0620

Abstract

Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract : Objectives: Cannabis legalization may have unintended consequences, such as effects on prevalence of adolescent use of other substances. We hypothesize that in states that have legalized recreational cannabis (RCL states), electronic vapor product use ("vaping"), cannabis, and cigarette use among adolescents is more prevalent than in states that have only legalized medical cannabis (MCL states) and states that have neither legalized recreational nor medical cannabis (NL states). Methods: Data are from the Center for Disease Control's 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (n = 107, 665), a nationally representative survey of US high school students. We categorized student responses by cannabis legalization status of the state in which they lived at time of survey, then tested associations between cannabis legalization status and adolescent vaping, cannabis, and cigarette use, using logistic regressions. Results: Students in RCL states were significantly more likely to report current vaping behaviors compared to NL students [odds ratios (OR's) 2.07–2.21]. Students in cannabis-legal states were significantly more likely to report ever or currently using cannabis compared to NL students (OR's 1.27–1.40). MCL students were significantly less likely to report current cigarette smoking (OR = 0.86) compared to NL students. Conclusions: Adolescents in cannabis-legal states were more likely to report vaping and cannabis use compared to adolescents in NL states. Public health officials, policymakers, and clinicians should consider the associations between cannabis legalization and adolescent vaping, cigarette, and cannabis use patterns.