Youths who use e-cigarettes are more likely to also use marijuana, according to a meta-analysis in JAMA Pediatrics.
Researchers analyzed 21 observational studies of nearly 130,000 adolescents and young adults. Those who used e-cigarettes were 3.5 times more likely to use marijuana than those who did not use e-cigarettes. The association was stronger among studies of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years than among studies of 18- to 24-year-olds. It was also stronger among those who reported dual use of e-cigarettes and tobacco products.
In addition, the association was significant in three longitudinal studies, suggesting that e-cigarette use usually precedes marijuana use.
The authors conclude: “These findings highlight the importance of addressing the rapid increases in e-cigarette use among youths as a means to help limit marijuana use in this population.”
Overall, these findings suggest that clinical and regulatory approaches to managing e-cigarette use among youth amid the current trend of marijuana legalization should consider the significant association between e-cigarette and marijuana use.
Read the article here.
Source: NEJM Journal Watch
