Vaping marijuana, a growing problem
Published 7:00 pm Saturday, February 29, 2020
The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently announced that its 2019 survey, Monitoring the Future, found vaping of marijuana is on the rise among teenagers.
The MTV survey was the 45th annual sample of eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders in hundreds of U.S. schools.
“We are heartened to see the continuing decline in the use of many drugs, particularly non-medical use of prescription opioids; however, teens are clearly attracted to vaping products, which are often concentrated amounts of drugs disguised as electronic gadgets,” said NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow. “Their growing popularity threatens to undo years of progress protecting the health of adolescents in the U.S.”
According to the survey, vaping of marijuana has more than doubled in the past two years. It was reported at 20.8 percent among 12th-graders, with 10th-graders not far behind at 10.4 percent and eighth graders at 7.0 percent.
The survey also notes that for the first time, the survey measured daily marijuana vaping, which was reported at 3.5 percent among 12th-graders, 3.0 percent among 10th-graders, and 8 percent among eighth-graders.
NIDA also notes that marijuana continues to be the most commonly used illicit drug by adolescents. After remaining stable for many years, daily use of marijuana went up significantly since 2018 among eighth- and 10th-graders — now at 1.3 percent and 4.8 percent respectively.
In addtion, overall, NIDA found this past year marijuana use rates remained steady among teens — 35.7 percent among 12th-graders; 28.8 percent among 10th-graders; and 11.8 percent among eighth-graders.
In 2019, questions were added on daily vaping to address public health concerns about e-cigarettes and vaping devices. The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control have warned the public about lung illnesses and deaths related to vaping, with some patients as young as 13.
Parents, educators, health care professionals, lawmakers and the public at large all need to keep informed about the growing problems related to vaping and marijuana. For more details, go to NIDA’s web page: https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/monitoring-future.
Jim Mone
