It appears increasing numbers of American teens are turning to vaping cannabis products.

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But the harms associated with inhaling THC, CBD and synthetic cannabinoids (SC) are more dangerous for adolescent health, according to a U.S. study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

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Researchers looked at cannabis vaping trends from the National Youth Tobacco Survey between 2021 and 2023, which collected data from about 70,000 U.S. middle and high school students between 11 and 18 years of age.

They found an alarming trend: Vaping substances other than nicotine was becoming more popular among young people.

“We found a significant increase in adolescent vaping of THC, CBD and SCs from 2021 to 2023,” Jack Chung, a lead investigator at the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research at the University of Queensland, told Science Daily.

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“THC vaping peaked in 2022 while the use of SCs continued to increase.”

Chung said youth were increasingly uncertain about the substances they were vaping, noting the numbers tripled when they answered “don’t know” if asked about vaping SCs.

In 2023, researchers estimated that more than 2.5 million youths were vaping THC, about 1 million inhaled CBD products and about 620,000 used synthetic cannabinoids.

The study found that youth who vaped cannabis experienced more mental-health symptoms than those who smoked dry herbs and flowers.

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Scientists say synthetic cannabinoids — which mimic the effects of naturally occurring cannabinoids — can bind more strongly to brain receptors. That could lead to more unpredictable health effects.

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“One of the most unexpected findings from our study was the continued rise in adolescent use of SCs,” Chung said. “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.”

He said the increased popularity of these products raises serious concerns about the possible risks to adolescent health and suggested better public health education and awareness of potential health impacts.

“These synthetic cannabinoids products could potentially be deadly with many adolescents unknowingly vaping these harmful and synthetic substances.”

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