Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in very potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for adolescents

Food for thought! Concerning! Serious stuff! A nation of junkies?

Despite legalization, a user may not be aware about the potency of the drug the user intends to consume.

Young people try all sorts of things. When it comes to drugs, the big question is whether it becomes habit forming or whether it becomes addictive behavior over long periods of time.

"... As a professor of psychology, [the author] focus my research on substance use in adolescents and young adults. A major change during my time in research is the legalization and explosion of cannabis availability across the U.S.

There are arguments for and against increasing legalization of cannabis for adult use in the U.S., but expanded access to legal cannabis also may have unintended consequences for adolescents. These consequences are compounded by the increasing potency of some cannabis products. ...

Cannabis now comes in a larger variety of forms than it used to. ... dried form for smoking. This cannabis was not particularly strong: The average THC concentration of cannabis seized by the Drug Enforcement Agency in 1995 was 4%, while it was roughly 15% in 2021. ...

Today there are many different cannabis concentrates that have high levels of THC, typically ranging from 40% to 70%, and more than 80% in some cases, depending on the method of extraction. ...

THC and cannabidiol, or CBD, are the most common chemicals in cannabis. Each one interacts with the brain in different ways, producing different perceived effects.

CBD does not produce the same “high” that THC does, and cannabidiol may have benefits as a medication for severe epilepsy, as well as other potential but as yet unproven medical uses. ...

One of the reasons why young people are drawn to these sorts of products is that vaping or dabbing the concentrated form makes it easier to hide cannabis use. Vaping cannabis does not create the typical smell associated with weed.

A 2021 systematic review found that past-year cannabis vaping nearly doubled from 2017 to 2020 in adolescents - jumping from 7.2% to 13.2%. A more recent study in five northeastern U.S. states found that 12.8% of adolescents vaped cannabis in the past 30 days, a more narrow time frame that suggests potential increases in use. In addition, a 2020 study found that one-third of adolescents who vape do so with cannabis concentrates. ..."

Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for adolescents