Prevalence and socio-demographics correlates of cannabis vaping: Results from the 2018 & 2019 International Cannabis Policy Study

There is now an expansive cannabis market with novel products and methods of administration. One novel way to use cannabis is through a vaporiser (‘cannabis vaping’). Few surveys have assessed different forms of cannabis products used for vaping. We aim to estimate the prevalence of cannabis vaping by product type across jurisdictions with different legalization status and their socio-demographics correlates.

Data are from the 2018 and 2019 International Cannabis Policy Study (ICPS) with sample sizes 27169 and 47747 respectively. Respondents in the USA and Canada aged 16-65 completed web-based surveys with cooperation rates of 64.2% and 62.9% across both years. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the socio-demographic correlates of cannabis vaping.

In 2018, the prevalence of vaping herbal cannabis, cannabis oil and concentrates was highest in U.S. legal states (9.6%,13.6%,3.8%), followed by U.S. illegal states (5.5%,7.2%,2.0%) and lowest in Canada (5.1%,5.8%,1.8%) respectively. Similar trend was found for 2019. The overall trend of vaping herbal cannabis has decreased from 2018 to 2019, while the trend of vaping cannabis oil and concentrates has increased across all jurisdictions. Irrespective of the products used for vaping, the odds of vaping were higher among respondents residing in US legal states (Odds Ratio (OR) range=1.3-1.9), 16-25 year-olds (OR range=3.4-4.8), males (OR range=1.3-1.7), respondents with some college education (OR range=1.4-1.7), lower perceptions of risk from cannabis vaping (OR range =5.1-5.9). The trend of vaping cannabis oil and concentrates has increased from 2018 to 2019. Younger consumers and those residing in legal jurisdictions were more likely to use products (cannabis oil and concentrates) which may contain a higher level of THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis. There is a need for greater evidence on vaping products, including potential implications for harm reduction in both legal and illegal cannabis markets.