Teens Using E-Cigarettes For Marijuana “Vaping”
E-Cigarrettes are devices that are usually marketed as devices that help people looking to quit smoking. However, a new study suggests that not all electronic cigarettes are being used correctly. Some people are reportedly using them for marijuana vaping as opposed to nicotine.
Cannabis can be used in various forms, such as dried leaves and oils. Researchers have recently uncovered that almost a fifth of high school students have admitted using e-cigarettes to vaporize marijuana. They also use it for the drug’s byproducts like hash oil.
The lead author of the study reports that this is a relatively new way of using cannabis. High school kids are also using it at a surprisingly high rate. The study was conducted among a total of close to 4000 students from 5 Connecticut high schools.
As a result, electronic cigarettes have risen in popularity among students in high school. A recent CDC report also asserts that the use of these devices among middle and high school students went up 3 times in a one year period. Presently, close to two million students are estimated to use electronic cigarettes. In the new study, researchers found that about 28% of students in high school admitted using the devices. Of the students surveyed, close to 30% admitted using cannabis while 18.8% reported having used both marijuana and e-cigarettes at some point.
The researcher also reports that a significant number of students in both groups used electronic cigarettes to vaporize cannabis. Further analysis of the results revealed that those who were most likely to use e-cigarettes for cannabis were students who were male and younger. Lifetime e-cigarette and cannabis users also fell in this category.
E-Cigarettes
Normally, electronic cigarettes work by vaporizing a solution of liquid nicotine. This is contained in a cartridge located in the device. The process is made possible thanks to an in-built, battery-powered atomizer. The nicotine solution can however be replaced with marijuana products such as dried leaves, hash oil or wax that’s infused with THC.
The devices don’t contain the tar and tobacco that conventional cigarettes do. Only electronic cigarettes meant for therapeutic use are currently regulated by government agencies.
A Clever Disguise
The appeal of using e-cigarettes to vaporize marijuana comes because vaping the drug isn’t as potent as smoking it. Hash oil also closely resembles nicotine solutions, which makes the devices a clever disguise for marijuana users. While most people used them to vaporize dried marijuana leaves, the researcher notes that liquid forms of cannabis can be more potent. Some electronic cigarette vendors also make devices designed for vaporizing cannabis. Such findings raise alarm about the lack of regulation of electronic cigarette and the potential use of the devices for other purposes rather than nicotine.
Questions about the safety of these devices have also been raised. While e-cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular, the opinion on their long-term effects on health is divided. In another study, reports indicate that the devices are more likely to be used by adolescents if their colleagues or relatives either use or approve of the gadgets themselves.
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