Jim Liebelt's Youth Culture Watch

Adolescent Vapers Much Likelier to Use Cannabis and Binge Drink

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

A new study of more than 50,000 US adolescents across the country indicates that vaping nicotine is strongly linked with an increased likelihood of high levels use of binge drinking and cannabis usage.

The findings, published in Substance Use and Misuse, will add to growing public health concerns about the increased popularity of electronic cigarette (or "vaping") use among young people.

"While the overall health risks of vaping are lower than smoking, electronic cigarettes are still harmful to adolescents and warrant ongoing surveillance—especially as the long-term impacts remain unknown," says lead author Noah Kreski from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

"Our results indicate that vaping is not an isolated behavior, but rather strongly tied to other substance use that can harm adolescents and make quitting nicotine more difficult. Recognizing the strong overlap between various forms of substance use, effective intervention efforts should work to simultaneously address vaping, drinking and cannabis use to encourage the health and well-being of young people."

The researchers used the Monitoring the Future survey—conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)—to track trends in the use of cigarettes, alcohol, cannabis, vaping of both nicotine and cannabis, and other substances for children in school grades 8 (13-14 years old), 10 (15-16 years old) and 12 (17–18 years old).

The team examined data from 51,872 adolescents who took part in the survey between 2017 and 2019. They assessed the links between past 30-day nicotine use (non-, smoking-only, vaping-only, and any smoking plus vaping) with past 30-day cannabis use—making adjustments to account for certain demographic factors, such as age, sex, race, parental education and urbanicity of the participants.

Looking at nicotine use and cannabis use (in any form, including vaping), they found that compared to those who did not use nicotine at all, adolescents who vaped were 20.31 times more likely to use cannabis, and 21.60 times more likely to participated in binge drinking on three to five occasions.

"The links between vaping-only, or both smoking and vaping, and cannabis use and binge drinking outcomes in adolescents are particularly striking—especially at the highest levels of binge drinking. While the causal direction of these associations is unclear, the size of the effect is concerning given the harms these substances pose to adolescents," adds Kreski, who is a data analyst at Columbia.

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-05-national-adolescent-vapers-likelier-cannabis.html

Early Teen Vapers May Be at Higher Risk of Persistent and Heavier Smoking Later in Adolescence

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by NewsMedical.

Young teen smokers who also vape may be at heightened risk of persistent and heavier smoking in their late teens, reveal the combined findings of two nationally representative UK and US studies, published online in the journal Tobacco Control.

Despite national differences in e-cigarette regulation and marketing between the two countries, the findings suggest that e-cigarettes may deepen early patterns of smoking, known as the 'entrenchment hypothesis,' conclude the researchers.

The researchers drew on 1893 early teen smokers from two large, nationally representative cohort studies in the UK and USA:  the UK Millennium Cohort Study (1090); and the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study (803).

Participants in these studies were regularly surveyed about their use of vapes and how often they smoked conventional cigarettes up to the age of 17.

Among the UK early teen smokers, 57% said they also vaped. The equivalent figure for the US early teen smokers was 58%.

By their late teens, those who had concurrently vaped while smoking in their early teens were more likely to continue smoking.

Among UK participants, 61% of early vapers were smoking in their late teens compared with 50% of non-vapers. The equivalent figures for the US participants were 42% and 24%.

The odds of continuing to smoke in their late teens among early teen concurrent vapers were 45% higher than they were for non-vapers in the US and 119% higher than they were for non-vapers in the UK.

And by their late teens, frequent smoking—defined as more than 6 cigarettes/week or at least 27/month—was almost twice as common among UK early vapers (37%) as it was among non-vapers (23%).

Similarly, frequent smoking was nearly 3 times as common among US early teen vapers (20%) than it was among non-vapers (7%).

Overall, the odds of frequent smoking versus not smoking in their late teens were twice as high among the early concurrent vapers than they were among those who hadn't vaped in their early teens in the UK.

Source: NewsMedical
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230419/Early-teen-vapers-may-be-at-higher-risk-of-persistent-and-heavier-smoking-later-in-adolescence.aspx

School Prevalence of Stimulant Therapy for ADHD Associated with Higher Rates of Misuse Among Teens

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

Researchers have identified a strong association between prevalence of prescription stimulant therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and rates of prescription stimulant misuse (taken in a way other than as directed by a clinician) by students in middle and high schools.

The study, which appeared in JAMA Network Open, highlights the need for assessments and education in schools and communities to prevent medication-sharing among teens. This is especially important considering non-medical use of prescription stimulants among teens remains more prevalent than misuse of any other prescription drug, including opioids and benzodiazepines.

Supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the study used data collected between 2005 and 2020 by the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study.

"The drug supply has rapidly changed, and what looks like medications—bought online or shared among friends or family members—can contain fentanyl or other potent illicit substances that can result in overdoses. It's important to raise awareness of these new risks for teens," said NIDA Director Nora Volkow, M.D.

Researchers at the University of Michigan examined both school- and individual-level characteristics associated with prescription stimulant misuse. Across 231,141 student participants surveyed at 3,284 secondary schools, the school-level prevalence of nonmedical use varied from 0% to over 25% of students. Schools with a greater number of students (12% or higher) reporting prescription stimulant therapy for ADHD tended to have the highest percentages of their student body reporting prescription stimulant misuse (8% of total student body). By comparison, schools with fewer students (0 to 6% of student body) reporting stimulant therapy for ADHD were associated with lower rates of prescription stimulant misuse (4 to 5% of student body).

"The key takeaway here is not that we need to lessen prescribing of stimulants for students who need them, but that we need better ways to store, monitor, and screen for stimulant access and use among youth to prevent misuse," said study author Sean Esteban McCabe, Ph.D.

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-04-school-prevalence-therapy-adhd-higher.html

Teen Overdose Deaths Have Doubled in Three Years. Blame Fentanyl.

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by The Hill.

Teen overdose deaths have doubled in three years, an alarming trend amid a historic decline in drug and alcohol use among high school students.

The main reason is fentanyl. Teens consume the powerful opioid unwittingly, packaged in counterfeit pills tailored to resemble less potent prescription medications. Drug traffickers lace pills with fentanyl to boost the black-market high. Dangerously addictive, fentanyl can be lethal, especially to children experimenting with drugs.

Deaths from drug and alcohol rose from 788 in 2018 to 1755 in 2021 among children ages 15 to 19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tabulated by The Hill.

“Fentanyl, it’s just a different beast,” said Dr. Hoover Adger Jr., professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “And it’s so deadly. You have a milligram of fentanyl being equivalent to 50 milligrams of heroin, being equivalent to 100 milligrams of morphine. And right now, fentanyl is creeping into everything.”

Many sources point to fentanyl as the leading cause of teen overdose death. Between 2010 and 2021, the number of adolescent deaths from black-market fentanyl and related synthetics rose more than twenty-fold, from 38 to 884, according to a 2022 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Source: The Hill
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3917058-teen-overdose-deaths-have-doubled-in-three-years-blame-fentanyl/

Poll Finds Many Parents Unaware of Kids' Exposure to Vaping

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by HealthDay.

Four out of five U.S. parents questioned in a large poll believe their preteen and teenage kids are clear on the risks that electronic cigarettes pose, and only a few think their child actually vapes.

Still, if their child did vape, would parents know? Nearly half of more than 1,300 parents polled said they would.

The findings, experts say, point to a potential disconnect between what parents think is going on and the real deal when it comes to vaping among American youth.

"These findings point to a few ways parents might be off," said poll co-director Sarah Clark.

For one thing, Clark pointed to 2022 data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found that 14% of high school students and 3% of middle schoolers had vaped in the prior month.

It's not so easy to tell if your child is among them, cautioned Clark, a research scientist with the Child Health Evaluation and Research Center at the University of Michigan.

She noted, for example, that many parents in her team's poll "appear to think vaping would leave a detectable odor, the way traditional cigarettes do. This is not the case."

Many of the parents also believe "they will find vaping devices or supplies," Clark added. "However, disposable vapes are popular with youth, and likely are thrown away before parents have a chance to find them." Also, a number of them are disguised as pens, phone cases or watches.

"And many parents think their child would tell them if they were vaping, despite a long history of kids trying to hide this type of thing," she said.

The vaping poll is the latest release from the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. Conducted in February, it surveyed parents who have at least one child between 11 and 18 years old.

The Mott Poll Report was released on March 20, 2023.

Cannabis Use in Adolescent Years May Create Reproductive Complications in Women

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

In a new study, University of California, Irvine researchers found that exposure to the compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, a component of cannabis) at a young age could lead to depleted ovarian follicles and matured eggs in adulthood by nearly 50 percent.

The study, published online in the journal Toxicological Sciences, shows that the use of cannabis earlier in a female's life could have long-term effects on her ability to conceive.

"Given that more and more teenagers and young adults are using cannabis, especially with easier access to the substance, this study's findings are especially important," said senior and corresponding author Dr. Ulrike Luderer, professor of environmental and occupational health at the UCI Program in Public Health. "It is imperative to widely broadcast the consequences of early-life exposure to cannabis on reproductive health in adulthood."

The research team used a mouse model to test their hypothesis that THC can cause adverse health effects in adulthood. They started by injecting THC into immature mice for a period of two weeks and evaluated the effects on their models at different time periods post-injection. They found that the number of healthy ovarian follicles decreased by nearly 50% in primordial follicles, which are the fundamental reproductive units of the ovary and are non-renewable.

Researchers suspect that the dramatic drop in ovarian follicle numbers was caused by accelerated activation of resting follicles, followed by DNA-damage-associated death of follicles at later stages of development.

"Our findings provide unexpected new insights into the long-term impact of THC on reproductive function and aging," said co-author Daniele Piomelli, Ph.D., distinguished professor of anatomy and neurobiology at the UCI School of Medicine. "Our hope is that our findings will motivate teenage girls to make better, more informed decisions about whether or not to ingest cannabis products."

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-03-cannabis-adolescent-years-reproductive-complications.html

Nitrous Oxide Use Among Young Adults ‘More Dangerous Than Cocaine,’ Neurologist Warns

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by StudyFinds.

A neurologist says nitrous oxide is “more dangerous than cocaine,” and some teens and young adults may be using over 150 canisters in a single day! The substance is better known as laughing gas, but also referred to “hippie crack” or “nos.” It’s one of the most commonly used drugs among 16 to 24-year-olds in the United Kingdom alone, government officials say.

Dr. David Nicholl, consultant neurologist and clinical lead at City Hospital in Birmingham, says he now sees more patients struggling with side effects of nos than cocaine abuse. He adds the volume of this gas that youngsters are consuming has skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic.

Nitrous oxide, commonly sold in single-use silver canisters, fills up balloons that users then inhale to create a temporary feeling of relaxation and euphoria. It’s a popular recreational “drug” of choice for concertgoers, particularly fans of Grateful Dead-like jam bands like Phish, hence the term “hippie crack.” People can often be found in the parking lots outside shows with nitrous tanks selling balloons to concertgoers, who then suck the gas from the balloon for a quick high.

However, heavy regular use can lead to a range of side-effects which include dizziness, weakness in the legs, and impaired memory.

“I’ve been a neurologist for 21 years and have seen a definite change in how it’s being used, since the pandemic,” Dr. Nicholl says, according to a statement from SWNS.

“Compared to before, now the volumes of nitrous oxide being consumed can be quite terrifying – up to 150 cylinders per day. It’s perceived as safe – and terms like ‘laughing gas’ are especially unhelpful because it makes it sound trivial. But the stuff bought on the street is pure nitrous oxide and not safe for human consumption,” the neurologist warns.

Nicholl explains that nitrous oxide is easily accessible at shopping centers like Walmart and on social media.

Source: StudyFinds
https://studyfinds.org/nitrous-oxide-epidemic/

Study Finds COVID-19 Pandemic Has Long-Lasting Effects on Adolescent Mental Health and Substance Use

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a long-lasting impact on adolescent mental health and substance use, according to a new population-based study based on survey responses from a nationwide sample of over 64,000 13–18-year-old North American and Icelandic adolescents assessed prior to and up to two years into the pandemic.

The study was conducted by faculty at Columbia University Teachers College and Mailman School of Public Health and a team of Icelandic and other North American clinical, behavioral, and social scientists. The findings are published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.

This new study shows that the negative effect on adolescent mental health has persisted up to two years into the pandemic.

"It is worrisome that we still see an increase in mental health problems among adolescents two years into the pandemic. And this is occurring despite social restrictions having been eased in Iceland," said Thorhildur Halldorsdottir, assistant professor of psychology at Reykjavik University and senior author of the study.

The initial decrease in cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use observed shortly after the arrival of the pandemic was also maintained up to two years into the pandemic. The frequency of adolescent alcohol intoxication, however, appeared to be returning to pre-pandemic levels.

"It is, of course, positive to see that the reduction in cigarette smoking and vaping has been maintained," said Dr. Ingibjorg Eva Thorisdottir, chief data analyst at Planet Youth and lead author of the study. She continued, "We will need to monitor alcohol intoxication among adolescents in years to come, especially given the increase in mental health problems."

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-03-covid-pandemic-long-lasting-effects-adolescent.html

Youth Cannabis Vaping Highest in Medical Marijuana States

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

More U.S. high school seniors reported vaping cannabis in states where it is legal only for medical purposes than states where all adult use is permitted—a study finding that surprised the researchers.

About 27% of twelfth graders in medical marijuana states reported vaping cannabis compared to 19% in states that prohibited cannabis or allowed it for adult use, according to the Washington State University study.

"More than a quarter of our youth in medical states were vaping cannabis. That's a lot," said Christian Maynard, a WSU sociology Ph.D. student and first author of the study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports. "We were expecting medical and adult use states would be more similar. Instead, we didn't find any statistical difference between prohibited and adult use states."

For this study, Maynard and his advising professor, WSU sociologist Jennifer Schwartz, analyzed responses from 3,770 high school seniors to the 2020 Monitoring the Future survey, a project which has been surveying U.S. youth since 1975.

In both prohibited and adult use states, fewer high school seniors, 52%, reported easy access to cartridges. More also felt regular cannabis use was risky: 40% in prohibited states and 36% in adult use states.

The study could not identify the exact reasons for the high rates of teen vaping in medical marijuana states.

While cannabis and tobacco use among teens has been decreasing overall, vaping has bucked that trend. Among high school seniors, cannabis vaping during the past 30 days made the second the biggest single-year jump in 2019 for any substance in the 45-year history of the Monitoring the Future study. It was only second to nicotine vaping.

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-02-youth-cannabis-vaping-highest-medical.html

Weed-Friendly Posts on Social Media Get Teens Using Cannabis

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by HealthDay.

Laws bar advertising cannabis to teens, but that doesn't mean they always work.

In a new survey, researchers found that teens still see a lot of positive cannabis messages through social media posts.

These messages influenced their intentions and actual use of cannabis, the survey found.

"Youth, in particular, have really grown up bombarded with cannabis information compared to previous generations," said first author Jessica Willoughby, an associate professor of communications at Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman. "We found that they were seeing more positive messages about using cannabis and a lot less about the risks."

For the study, the researchers surveyed 350 teens and 966 college students across Washington state.

Recreational marijuana has been legal in the state since 2012, though it has regulations to prevent advertising cannabis to minors. These rules bar the use of cartoons or youth-oriented celebrities in cannabis advertising. Of course, the study noted, individuals can still post about cannabis on social media.

And more than 80% of survey participants reported seeing pro-cannabis messages on social media. These posts talked about being high or claimed marijuana was harmless. The pro-cannabis messages most often encountered were from celebrities or in song lyrics. Teens and college students who saw more positive messages were more likely to say they intended to use the drug. In contrast, when young people saw anti-cannabis messages, the intent to use lessened, but young people saw fewer of those messages, the study authors said.

"Parents might not understand that if their kid is using a social media site — whether it's Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat — they are going to see cannabis messages. That's just the reality," said study co-author Stacey Hust, a professor of communication at WSU.

"This means we need to be getting training into schools at much younger ages," Hust said in a university news release. "At the very least, middle school and high school health classes need to talk about cannabis and how it can be harmful to the developing brain."

Source: HealthDay
https://consumer.healthday.com/marijuana-and-teens-2659340075.html