Efforts to reduce vaping among teens have reduced e-cigarette use, but the latest data on college-age adults points in another direction: vaping marijuana and nicotine among this age group rose sharply in the last three years. The percentage of college students who vaped marijuana nearly tripled to 14 percent, while the percentage who vaped nicotine jumped from 6 percent in 2017 to 22 percent in 2019, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health.
The report also revealed a high prevalence of marijuana use among college-age adults, while cigarette smoking and opioid misuse continued a downward trend. Recently, a report found that vaping among middle school and high school students fell dramatically in 2020 from a previous record high.
Meanwhile, Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris has defended her party’s platform on cannabis reform—which calls for decriminalization of marijuana, but not nationwide legalization—saying it is not simply “half-step incrementalism.” Speaking at a town hall meeting, Harris said the reforms—including expunging pot convictions—would help end disparities in the justice system for white people and people of color. The Biden/Harris policy on pot has come under fire from progressives who support full legalization of the drug.
And finally, police in Pasadena, California are investigating a spate of seven drug overdoses over a 24-hour period in which 3 individuals died, to see if they are related to the same drug. Opioid-related overdoses are relatively uncommon in the city, while fatalities are spiking across the country.