Yo, peep this new data from the 2023 Monitoring the Future survey, fam. Researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found out that ’bout 11% of high school seniors nationwide been messin’ with that delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (or delta-8-THC for short) in the past year.
Dr. Nora Volkow from NIDA straight up say this a big deal, man. She talkin’ ’bout how that 11% mean at least one or two students in a regular class could be dabblin’ in that delta-8. She also pointin’ out how easy it is for these young bloods to get their hands on these substances, callin’ for more research on the effects.
But check this, vaping nicotine be the main concern for teens right now, according to a fresh study from the University of Michigan. Seems like kids more into puffin’ on them vapes than smokin’ weed or drinkin’.
So what’s the deal with delta-8, you ask? Well, it’s a chemical cousin of delta-9 THC, which is what gets you high when you smoke weed. But delta-8 ain’t as strong and don’t have as many legal restrictions as regular cannabis. That’s why it’s easy to find in places where cannabis is still illegal for teens.
And let me tell you, delta-8 comes in all sorts of dope forms that appeal to teens – gummies, chocolates, cookies, vape pens, sodas, even breakfast cereals. You can cop them at corner stores, gas stations, and online shops – ain’t no age limit on this stuff in many states.
Now, this study they did had over 2,000 12th graders spillin’ the tea on their delta-8 use. Turns out, 11.4% of ’em said they’ve been gettin’ lit with delta-8 in the past year. And even though cannabis is still illegal for teens, a whopping 30.4% admitted to usin’ it too.
Most of these delta-8 heads said they been smokin’ it at least three times, with some going as far as takin’ hits over forty times! And get this – almost all of ’em also said they’ve been mixin’ delta-8 with regular weed.
The study found that southern and midwestern kids were more likely to be puffin’ on that delta-8, especially in states where marijuana still ain’t legal for grown folks. White teens seemed to be into both delta-8 and regular weed more than other racial groups, and boys were slightly more likely to use than girls.
Dr. Volkow was trippin’ over these stats, calling that 11% figure “very high” and stressin’ how important it is to understand the risks of these substances for teens. Dr. Leventhal was also shook by these numbers and called for more attention to the issue.
But yo, this study ain’t perfect – it only looked at kids still in school and didn’t cover every state. And most of the participants were around 17 years old, so we might not be seein’ the full picture of how many younger teens are dabblin’ with delta-8.
Researchers from UMass Amherst and Johns Hopkins are even sounding the alarm on how unregulated delta-8 poses a serious health risk to the public. They worried bout future cannabinoids hittin’ the market and causin’ even more problems.
And get this – at least 17 states done made delta-8 illegal already, with seven more puttin’ tight restrictions on it by November. The effects of delta-8 on teenage brains ain’t fully understood yet either – studies on weed show it can mess with memory and learning in young bloods.
Look man, this delta-8 stuff ain’t no joke. It’s easy for teens to get their hands on it, and we don’t even know all the risks yet. So let’s keep an eye out for our young homies and make sure they stay safe out there. Peace.