Considerable Prevalence of Δ8-THC Use Observed Among U.S. Teens

Prevalence was lower in Western versus Southern census regions, in states with regulations, in states with legal adult-use marijuana

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, March 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of Δ⁸-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is considerable among U.S. adolescents and is lower in states with regulations, according to a study published in the March 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Alyssa F. Harlow, Ph.D., from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and colleagues conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional analysis of a randomly selected subset of 12th-grade students in 27 U.S. states to estimate the self-reported prevalence of and factors associated with Δ⁸-THC and marijuana use in the past 12 months.

The researchers found that the prevalence of self-reported use in the past 12 months was 11.4 and 30.4 percent for Δ⁸-THC and marijuana, respectively, in the sample of 2,186 12th-grade students. Overall, 35.4 percent of the 295 participants reporting Δ⁸-THC use used it at least 10 times in the past 12 months. The prevalence of Δ⁸-THC use was lower in Western versus Southern census regions, states in which Δ⁸-THC was versus was not regulated, and states with versus without legal adult-use marijuana (adjusted relative risks, 0.35, 0.42, and 0.56, respectively). Past 12-month use was lower for Hispanic than White participants for both Δ⁸-THC and marijuana (adjusted relative risks, 0.54 and 0.74, respectively). There was no difference seen in the prevalence of Δ⁸-THC and marijuana use by sex or parental education.

“Δ⁸-THC use prevalence is appreciable among U.S. adolescents and is higher in states without marijuana legalization or existing Δ⁸-THC regulations,” the authors write. “Prioritizing surveillance, policy, and public health efforts addressing adolescent Δ⁸-THC use may be warranted.”

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