Lead Story: Adolescents’ and Young Adults’ Perceptions of Risks and Benefits Differ by Type of Cannabis Products

Adolescents’ and young adults’ perceptions of risks and benefits differ by type of cannabis products

Addictive Behaviors

Cannabis use patterns among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) have changed recently, with increasing use of non-combustible cannabis products. This survey of 433 California AYAs compared a variety of perceived risks and benefits corresponding to short-term and long-term use of combustible, blunt, vaporized, and edible cannabis, and between "ever" and "never" users. Combustible cannabis and blunts were perceived to have greater risks and benefits than vaporized/edible cannabis. The most common perceived risks were “get into trouble” and “become addicted.” The most common benefits were “feel high or buzzed” and “feel less anxious.” Ever cannabis users perceived less risks and greater benefits than never users.

 

Electronic cigarette use among adults in 14 countries: A cross-sectional study

eClinicalMedicine

Using 2015-2018 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) data, prevalence of e-cigarette use and variations by sociodemographic characteristics was examined in 14 countries. Given the progress towards a tobacco-free generation, continued surveillance of e-cigarette use is essential to developing, sustaining, and strengthening tobacco control at the country level. Approximately 18.3 million adults used e-cigarettes across these countries; higher use was observed in certain countries among men, young adults, urban residents, adults with higher education levels, and higher wealth index. Continued monitoring of e-cigarette use is critical for developing interventions and policies to prevent tobacco initiation and enhance cessation support.

 

Assessment of Community-Level Vulnerability and Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

JAMA Network Open

This cross-sectional study examined the association of community vulnerability to disasters and pandemics with geographic access to each of the three Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUDs) and whether this association differs by urban, suburban, or rural classification. All zip code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) within the continental U.S. were included. Median drive time to the nearest treatment location was greatest for methadone (35 [16-60] minutes) and shortest for buprenorphine (16 [0-30] minutes; P