Abstract
With the legalisation of cannabis products in Canada, there is a growing interest amongst youth in cannabis vaping products. This study aimed to explore the motivations behind the use of cannabis vaping products amongst youth and examine differences between frequent cannabis vapers and those who use other forms of cannabis. An online survey was conducted amongst youth aged 12–25 years. Descriptive statistics summarised responses separating youth who had frequently used (≥ weekly), occasionally used (< weekly to once per month), or did not use a cannabis vaping product in the past 12 months. A total of 1143 youth completed the study of which 830 (72.6%) had vaped cannabis in the past year, with most vaping cannabis oil (94.7%). Those who vaped weekly reported use of greater cannabis product diversity, higher tetrahydrocannabinol content, and increased spending compared to non-vapers. Vaping cannabis was perceived to be easier to conceal, had a faster onset of the high, and lacked odour in comparison to other cannabis products. Notably, 34.2% of youth who vaped considered flavour somewhat or very important in sustaining cannabis vaping use, with fruit flavours being the most popular. Youth from higher-income households and those using nicotine vaping devices were more likely to vape cannabis weekly (odds ratio: 1.83; 95% confidence intervals: 1.00–3.34 and 3.38, 1.99–5.73, respectively). Further research understanding why and how cannabis vaping products are used by youth is needed to understand potential harms associated with use as well as to create tailored education materials and messaging.
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Data Availability
Data is available, on request to the corresponding author, for secondary analysis.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Kat Kolar who provided expert advice on the study and made recommendations regarding the study survey and manuscript. The authors would also like to thank the youth who participated in the study.
Funding
This work was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Catalyst Grant (HEV-172908).
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ST is the Chief Medical Officer of Ekosi Health Centre, a clinic in Manitoba that provides wrap-around care for those requiring access to substance use and mental health services. She authorizes and provides consultation for the use of medical cannabis for individuals. She receives funding from Indivior to provide Sublocade injection training for health care providers. DH has served as a paid expert witness on behalf of public authorities in response to legal challenges from cannabis, tobacco, and vaping companies.
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ST runs Ekosi health centre, which is a clinic located in Manitoba that authorises the use of medical cannabis for individuals.
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Watling, C.Z., Hammond, D., Turner, S. et al. Perceptions and Use of Cannabis Vaping Products Amongst Youth: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of 1100 Cannabis Consumers. Int J Ment Health Addiction (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-024-01246-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-024-01246-8