Use of cannabis among youth who vape nicotine

Background

Youth e-cigarette use remains a public health concern and many youth want to quit. However, cannabis use is common among youth who use e-cigarettes, which may interfere with nicotine cessation efforts. This study aimed to investigate cannabis use among youth who vape nicotine and are motivated to quit nicotine.

Methods

Connecticut youth (N=223, M_age = 17.3 [SD=1.7] years) who completed an intake for a vaping cessation study reported on their nicotine vaping, cannabis products used, reasons for use, frequency of use, and readiness to quit cannabis. Descriptives characterized population. Regressions were used to examine association of cannabis use and nicotine vaping.

Results

Most reported cannabis use (lifetime: 92.4 %; past-month: 68.6 %). Cannabis smoking and vaping were highly prevalent (smoking: lifetime − 90.8 %, current − 63.6 %; vaping: lifetime − 90.8 %, current − 63.1 %). Most reported preferring smoking cannabis (58.7 %) over other routes of administration. Common reasons for cannabis use, were psychoactive (e.g., getting high), physical (e.g., improving sleep), and social (e.g., partying). Cannabis use frequency and preferring smoking cannabis (vs. other modes) was positively associated with more frequent nicotine vaping (ps < 0.05). Participants averaged 6.3 (of 10) on a readiness to quit cannabis scale, a moderate desire to quit.

Conclusions

Cannabis use across multiple routes of administration was common among youth seeking help quitting vaping nicotine. Heaviness of cannabis and nicotine use appear to be associated, raising interesting harm-reduction challenges for those seeking to quit nicotine vaping. Understanding cannabis and nicotine co-use is important for targeting treatment for use of both substances.