Synthetic storm: The Alarming Rise of THC, CBD, and SCs Vaping Among US Adolescents

Research has revealed that adolescent vaping of current delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) has increased between 2021 and 2023. This trend is particularly alarming given the lack of understanding about the long-term health effects of cannabis vaping.

The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, analyzed national trends of adolescent cannabis vaping from the National Youth Tobacco Survey for 2021, 2022, and 2023, comprising a total of 69,899 US middle and high school students (aged 11 to 18 years).

Lead investigator Jack Chung, BApsych (Hons), National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, and School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, says, “We found a significant increase in adolescent vaping of THC, CBD, and SCs from 2021 to 2023. THC vaping peaked in 2022 while the use of SCs continued to increase. Adolescents increasingly expressed uncertainty about the substances they were vaping; for example, uncertain respondents answering ‘don’t know’ if they have vaped SCs tripled across the years.”

In 2023, it is estimated that 7.4% (or 2.55 million) of US adolescents were currently vaping THC, while 2.9% (or 999,000) were vaping CBD, and 1.8% (or 620,000) were vaping SCs.

Individuals who vape cannabis exhibit more mental health symptoms compared to those who use traditional combustion methods of dry herbs and flowers. SCs are typically lab-synthesized to mimic the effects of naturally occurring cannabinoids and often bind more strongly to brain receptors, leading to more intense and unpredictable health consequences.

Mr. Chung remarks, “One of the most unexpected findings from our study was the continued rise in adolescent use of SCs. This trend is particularly alarming given that these substances are often accessed through unregulated, illicit markets, where there are no safety standards or quality controls.”

Co-investigator Gary C.K. Chan, PhD, National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, adds, “We still know very little about the long-term health effects of cannabis vaping, which makes it even more important to understand what’s in your vape.”

This study is one of the first to track national adolescent vaping prevalence of THC, CBD, and SCs independently, given that most recent studies categorized various cannabinoids vaping under the umbrella term “cannabis vaping,” despite their vastly different psychological and health effects.

Mr. Chung concludes, “Experimentation with substance use among teenagers is often driven by peer influence, curiosity, and a desire for social acceptance. This age group may also be increasingly exposed to cannabis-related marketing on social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, as well as social media influencers and celebrities.”

Rewritten Article:

Cannabis use has reached a new high among older adults in the United States, with 7% of those aged 65 and over reporting use in the past month. This is according to an analysis led by researchers at the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at the NYU School of Global Public Health.

The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, reveals that the profile of cannabis users has shifted in recent years. Specifically, there have been pronounced increases in use among older adults who are college-educated, married, female, and have higher incomes.

“Our study shows that cannabis use among older adults continues to increase, although there have been major shifts in use according to demographic and socioeconomic factors,” said Joseph Palamar, PhD, MPH, an associate professor of population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the study’s senior author.

Most Americans live in a state where marijuana has been legalized for medical or recreational use. To better understand the prevalence of cannabis use among older adults in the US, researchers examined data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2021 through 2023. The respondents were asked about past-month cannabis use, which was defined as “current” use.

The researchers found that current cannabis use among older adults grew to 7% in 2023, up from 4.8% in 2021 and 5.2% in 2022—a nearly 46% increase in only two years.

“If we look even further back to 2006 and 2007, less than 1% of older adults used cannabis in the past year. Now, we’re seeing that 7% have used it in the past month alone,” said Benjamin Han, MD, MPH, associate professor and associate chief of research in the Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology, and Palliative Care at the University of California San Diego and the study’s first author.

The researchers also found significant increases in cannabis use among older adults with chronic diseases—specifically, those with multiple chronic conditions. Notably, this includes heart issues, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and chronic pulmonary obstructive disease.

The authors caution that the overall increases may be driven, in part, by those who use cannabis aging into the 65+ age bracket for the period studied. Regardless, they recommend that clinicians screen and educate their older patients about cannabis use, including how physiological changes that accompany aging can make people more sensitive to psychoactive substances.

“As a geriatrician, I see more and more people interested in using cannabis for treating chronic health symptoms. But cannabis can complicate the management of chronic diseases and be potentially harmful if patients are not educated on its use and potential risks,” said Han.

The research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (K23DA043651, R21DA058404, R21DA060362, R01DA057289, R01DA060207, and P30DA01104) and the UC San Diego Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging.

A recent study published in JAMA Cardiology has found that regular marijuana use, whether smoked or consumed in edible form, can have significant adverse effects on cardiovascular health. The research, led by University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) researchers, reveals that chronic cannabis use is associated with reduced blood vessel function, similar to that seen in tobacco smokers.

The study recruited 55 participants who were healthy and regularly used marijuana, either smoking it or consuming edibles containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis. The results showed that both groups had decreased vascular function, which is a risk factor for heart attacks, high blood pressure, and other cardiovascular conditions.

Notably, the study found that smoking marijuana was linked to changes in the participant’s blood serum that were detrimental to endothelial cells, which line all blood and lymphatic vessels. In contrast, those who consumed edibles containing THC did not display these changes in their blood serum.

The reasons behind how THC damages blood vessels are unclear, but the researchers suggest that it must be happening through a mechanism other than the changes seen in blood serum. This distinction is crucial, as it implies that smoking marijuana and ingesting THC may have different effects on cardiovascular health.

As first author Leila Mohammadi, MD, PhD, and senior author Matthew L. Springer, PhD, noted, these findings suggest that smoking marijuana negatively affects vascular function for reasons distinct from those involved in ingesting THC.

This study highlights the importance of considering the potential risks associated with marijuana use, particularly regarding cardiovascular health. As research continues to uncover more about the effects of cannabis on our bodies, it is essential to be aware of the potential consequences and take necessary precautions.