Vaping and Edibles: Self-Reported Usage Patterns Among Teens In and Out of Treatment.
This article examines one key aspect of the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory Institute’s forthcoming third iteration of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory. Overall project aims were to revise the second version of the adolescent SASSI, and to update new symptom-related identifiers of substance use disorders in adolescents according to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, Fifth Edition guidelines.
We added new questions regarding cannabidiol edible consumption and the extent of vaping to review and subsequently address these dangers in teens. Identifying these patterns will inevitably direct the course of subsequent clinical interviews and treatment planning. Early intervention is a critical component towards preventing possible negative outcomes for substance misusing teens.
This aspect of the research demonstrated a connection between a higher acknowledged usage pattern of teens in treatment versus teens not in treatment. Correlations between beliefs associated with marijuana legalization, marijuana usage by family and friends, tobacco use, connection between age at first use, and the onset of regular usage patterns were also shown to be significantly higher among teens in treatment. It should be no surprise therefore, that as a result of this widespread exposure, teen curiosity about vaping and edible consumption has increased to an alarming degree.
In addition, this increase in THC potency over time also raises questions about the current relevance of the findings in older studies on the effects of marijuana use, especially studies that
assessed long-term outcomes. The unfortunate reality however, is that THC ingested while vaping or consuming edibles is more addictive than originally thought, and its continuous use can expose
teens to very high-levels and often dangerous, even life-threatening concentrations of the substance.
Soc Behav Res Pract Open J. 2020; 5(2): 35-42. doi: 10.17140/SBRPOJ-5-126
