A meta-analysis of 31 studies found adolescent cannabis vaping was nearly twice as likely in males, and significantly more common among older teens, White youth, and those already using alcohol or tobacco.
Youth prevention program designers, school health professionals, pediatricians
Alcohol-using adolescents had 2.52x higher odds of vaping cannabis
What the researchers found
Among adolescent cannabis users, cannabis vaping odds were higher for males (OR 1.79), older adolescents (OR 1.26), current tobacco users (OR 1.62), and alcohol users (OR 2.52); lower for non-Hispanic Black youth (OR 0.55); insufficient evidence for mental health associations.
Why it matters
Identifying who among cannabis-using youth is most likely to vape helps target prevention efforts, as vaping delivers concentrated cannabinoids with unknown long-term effects.
The numbers in context
31 studies; 568,304 participants; among adolescent cannabis users (n=114,595): male OR=1.79, older OR=1.26, tobacco use OR=1.62, alcohol use OR=2.52, non-Hispanic Black OR=0.55.
How the study worked
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 31 studies (n=568,304) from US, Canada, England, New Zealand, and Switzerland; 26 on adolescents, 5 on young adults; pooled odds ratios using random effects.
What this study cannot tell us
Most studies from US; cross-sectional designs; self-reported cannabis vaping; insufficient studies on mental health and young adult correlates; heterogeneity across studies.
How to read the evidence
Large meta-analysis with over 500,000 participants and consistent findings across multiple countries, though mostly cross-sectional studies.
When this study was published
Published 2025
The bigger picture
Cannabis vaping represents a shift in how young people consume cannabis, and the demographic profile of vapers differs from traditional users, requiring updated prevention approaches.
Questions still open
- Why are White adolescents more likely to vape cannabis? Does alcohol/tobacco co-use drive vaping adoption or vice versa? Will the gender gap narrow as in the NYTS data?
Common questions
Who is most likely to vape cannabis among teens?
Were there racial differences?
Read the original research
Cannabis Vaping in Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors in Adolescents and Young Adults.
Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs
Citation
Chung, Jack; Lim, Carmen C W; Leung, Janni; Stjepanović, Daniel; Chiu, Vivian; Hides, Leanne; Connor, Jason P; Hall, Wayne; Chan, Gary C K. (2025). Cannabis Vaping in Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors in Adolescents and Young Adults.. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.24-00464
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