Kids Who Vape Face Increased Risk of Marijuana Use: Study

A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that kids who vape with e-cigarettes face an increased risk of marijuana use down the road.

The study examined e-cigarette and marijuana use among 9,828 adolescents from 2017 to 2019.

Researchers found that youths who who used electronic cigarettes but not marijuana were three times more likely to report they had started using marijuana a year later compared with youths who did not use e-cigarettes.

Vaping has increased among young people in recent years.

The Centers for Disease Control has found approximately one in nine high school students report that they have vaped within the past 30 days.

If e-cigarettes lead to marijuana use among adolescents, then that is deeply concerning.

A growing body of research shows marijuana can have damaging effects on adolescent brains — including permanent loss in IQ, difficulty thinking and problem-solving, reduced coordination, and increased risk of psychosis.

All of this underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

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