Trends in and Factors Associated with Current Cannabis Vaping Among U.S. Adolescents, 2022-2024

Abstract

Objective: Electronic vapor products are widely used by adolescents and are increasingly used to vape cannabis, posing ongoing health risks. This study aimed to examine trends in and factors associated with current (past 30-day) cannabis vaping among U.S. adolescents.  Method: Using pooled adolescent data from the 2022-2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (n = 34,875), we calculated the prevalence of current cannabis vaping overall and by sociodemographic, policy, and other substance use characteristics for each year. Employing multivariable logistic regression, we examined linear trends in cannabis vaping and associations with each covariate. Subgroup-specific trends were estimated from models that included interactions between survey year and participant characteristics, with linear combinations of coefficients used to derive subgroup estimates. Results: Current cannabis vaping increased from 2022-2024 (3.5% to 4.2%, p = .001) and among older (aged 16-17; 6.6% to 7.6%, p = .01), male (2.9% to 3.7%, p = .01), non-Hispanic White (3.8% to 4.7%, p = .01), and wealthier ($75,000+ annual household income; 3.2% to 3.8%, p = .02) adolescents, as well as adolescents covered by state medical cannabis laws (3.5% to 4.1%, p = .004). In pooled analyses, current cannabis vaping between 2022-2024 was associated with older age, compared to younger age (e.g., AOR: 4.61, 95% CI: 2.93-7.26 for 16-17 vs. 12-13-year-olds), and nicotine vaping (AOR: 24.00, 95% CI: 17.44, 32.96). Conclusions: Cannabis vaping may be rising among certain U.S. adolescent subgroups. Further research is needed to monitor trends in cannabis vaping over time, particularly among at-risk groups such as adolescents engaging in polysubstance use, among whom use has increased.