PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

What are they vaping? Study reveals alarming surge in adolescent vaping of THC, CBD, and synthetic cannabinoids

A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine calls for public health policies to protect teenagers from vaping’s long-term harm

2025-07-01
(Press-News.org) Ann Arbor, July 1, 2025 - Novel research has revealed that adolescent vaping of current delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) has increased between 2021 and 2023. Also, adolescents are increasingly unsure about the substances they vaped in their e-cigarettes. A new study appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, sheds light on this alarming trend and contributes to informing evidence-based public health policies and harm reduction strategies aimed at protecting youth from the long-term consequences of vaping.

Vaping of substances other than nicotine has become increasingly popular among adolescents in the United States. The current study 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. Our results also showed that females had a higher prevalence of THC, CBD, and SCs vaping compared to males.”

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. The growing popularity of SCs among youth raises serious concerns about potential health risks and highlights the urgent need for targeted public health interventions and regulatory oversight. These synthetic cannabinoids products could potentially be deadly, with many adolescents unknowingly vaping these harmful and synthetic substances.”

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. I hope this study will raise awareness of youth cannabis vaping and divert public health resources into better psychoeducation on adolescent vaping, as well as tailored harm reduction interventions to protect our young generations.”

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

ECMWF - delivering forecasts over 10 times faster and cutting energy usage by 1000

2025-07-01
Embargo Tuesday 1st July 2025 06:00AM BST   Today, just over 100 days after the launch into production of the world first openly available 24/7 operational AI forecast model AIFS-Single, ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) is unveiling the first ensemble model using Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning. The new model, called AIFS ENS, will be available as open source to the user community over the coming weeks. The new ensemble model outperforms state-of-the-art physics-based models for many measures, including surface temperature, with gains of up to 20%. At ...

Brazilian neuroscientist reveals how viral infections transform the brain through microscopic detective work

2025-07-01
DAVIS, California, USA, 1 July 2025 – In a comprehensive Genomic Press Innovators & Ideas interview, Dr. Danielle Beckman reveals how her passion for microscopy has evolved into a mission to understand viral impacts on brain health, offering hope for patients suffering from post-viral neurological symptoms. From Rio to Revolutionary Research Dr. Beckman's journey from aspiring writer in Rio de Janeiro to leading neurovirology researcher exemplifies scientific determination. Her journey began to change during an undergraduate physiology course where she discovered her fascination with the brain. "I vividly remember that class and how fascinated I became with the brain," ...

Turning social fragmentation into action through discovering relatedness

2025-07-01
Discovering relatedness outside of a topical issue helps diverse groups to overcome differences and develop action for social change. The Kobe University addition to educational theory offers a framework to analyze and promote intersectional learning. To achieve social change in a fragmented modern society, individuals from diverse backgrounds need to join together and develop a common plan for action. This is important especially for education related to social change, where groups of varying involvement in a particular issue, e.g., learners and teachers, interact in a structured setting. Current educational theories fall short of offering a framework of how such cultural differences ...

Cheese may really be giving you nightmares, scientists find

2025-07-01
Scientists have found that eating too much dairy could ruin your sleep. Researchers questioned more than 1,000 students about the quality of their sleep, their eating habits, and any perceived link between the two, and found a strong association between nightmares and lactose intolerance — potentially because gas or stomach pain during the night affects people’s dreams.   “Nightmare severity is robustly associated with lactose intolerance and other food allergies,” said Dr Tore Nielsen of Université de Montréal, lead author of the article in Frontiers in Psychology. “These new findings imply that changing eating habits for ...

Study reveals most common medical emergencies in schools

2025-07-01
The three most common reasons schools called emergency medical services (EMS) were for neurological crises such as seizures, psychiatric conditions or substance abuse, and trauma related injuries, according to data from the national EMS registry analyzed by researchers from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. During the study period (2018-2022), school-based medical emergencies constituted 11 percent of EMS encounters for children and two-thirds resulted in transport to the hospital. Findings, published in Pediatrics, can help schools prioritize training so staff can respond even before EMS arrival. “While many schools have taken ...

Breathable yet protective: Next-gen medical textiles with micro/nano networks

2025-07-01
A research team led by Professors Xianfeng Wang and Bin Ding from Donghua University has developed a breakthrough in protective textile technology by engineering highly permeable, liquid-repellent textiles (HPPT) with micro/nano-network structures. Published in Nano-Micro Letters, this innovative work presents a scalable and practical solution to the long-standing challenge of balancing protection and comfort in medical clothing. The newly developed HPPT materials offer superior air and moisture permeability, robust mechanical durability, and exceptional ...

Frequency-engineered MXene supercapacitors enable efficient pulse charging in TENG–SC hybrid systems

2025-07-01
A team of researchers from Yonsei University and Pohang University of Science and Technology, led by Professors Sang-Young Lee, Sang-Woo Kim, and Changshin Jo, has unveiled a groundbreaking strategy to overcome the long-standing challenge of efficient energy storage in triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) systems. Published in Nano-Micro Letters, this work introduces a system-level solution that leverages frequency modulation to significantly enhance the compatibility and charging efficiency between TENGs and supercapacitors ...

Developed an AI-based classification system for facial pigmented lesions

2025-07-01
A research team led by Haruyo Yamamoto, Chisa Nakashima, and Atsushi Otsuka from Department of Dermatology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering at Kindai University and other institutions, has developed a diagnostic system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to accurately identify the type of facial pigmented lesions and support laser treatment decisions. A paper on this study was published online in Cureus, an international medical journal on June 5, 2025.   1. Key Points Demonstrated superior diagnostic accuracy compared to dermatologists, when identifying ...

Achieving 20% efficiency in halogen-free organic solar cells via isomeric additive-mediated sequential processing

2025-07-01
Researchers from Shenzhen Technology University and collaborative institutions, led by Professor Guangye Zhang, have achieved a major milestone in organic solar cell (OSC) technology. Their latest work, published in Nano-Micro Letters, introduces a novel additive engineering strategy that enables 20.0% power conversion efficiency (PCE) in binary OSCs processed entirely with non-halogenated solvents. This advancement not only sets a new benchmark for toluene-processed OSCs but also offers a scalable and eco-friendly approach aligned with industrialization needs. Why This Innovation Matters Certified ...

New book Terraglossia reclaims language, Country and culture

2025-07-01
Award-winning author and University of South Australia academic Dr Debra Dank has unveiled her latest work, Terraglossia, a powerful response to colonial oppression that invites all Australians to reimagine how we engage with the world’s oldest living culture. Dr Dank, a Gudanji/Wakaja and Kalkadoon woman from the Barkley Tablelands in the Northern Territory, launched the compelling follow-up to her acclaimed memoir, We Come With This Place, to challenge entrenched narratives and celebrate the richness of First Nations language and culture. The title of the small hardback, Terraglossia, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Scientists target ‘molecular machine’ in the war against antimicrobial resistance

Extending classical CNOP method for deep-learning atmospheric and oceanic forecasting

Aston University research: Parents should encourage structure and independence around food to support children’s healthy eating

Thunderstorms are a major driver of tree death in tropical forests

Danforth Plant Science Center adds two new faculty members

Robotic eyes mimic human vision for superfast response to extreme lighting

Racial inequities and access to COVID-19 treatment

Residential segregation and lung cancer risk in African American adults

Scientists wipe out aggressive brain cancer tumors by targeting cellular ‘motors’

Capturability distinction analysis of continuous and pulsed guidance laws

CHEST expands Bridging Specialties Initiative to include NTM disease and bronchiectasis on World Bronchiectasis Day

Exposure to air pollution may cause heart damage

SwRI, UTSA selected by NASA to test electrolyzer technology aboard parabolic flight

Prebiotics might be a factor in preventing or treating issues caused by low brain GABA

Youngest in class at higher risk of mental health problems

American Heart Association announces new volunteer leaders for 2025-26

Gut microbiota analysis can help catch gestational diabetes

FAU’s Paulina DeVito awarded prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Champions for change – Paid time off initiative just made clinical trials participation easier

Fentanyl detection through packaging

Prof. Eran Meshorer elected to EMBO for pioneering work in epigenetics

New 3D glacier visualizations provide insights into a hotter Earth

Creativity across disciplines

Consequences of low Antarctic sea ice

Hear here: How loudness and acoustic cues help us judge where a speaker is facing

A unique method of rare-earth recycling can strengthen the raw material independence of Europe and America

Epilepsy self-management program shows promise to control seizures, improve mood and quality of life

Fat may play an important role in brain metabolism

New study finds no lasting impact of pandemic pet ownership on human well-being

New insights on genetic damage of some chemotherapies could guide future treatments with less harmful side effects

[Press-News.org] What are they vaping? Study reveals alarming surge in adolescent vaping of THC, CBD, and synthetic cannabinoids
A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine calls for public health policies to protect teenagers from vaping’s long-term harm