The use of illegal cannabis-filled vaping devices has surged among Quebec teenagers over the past four years. This year, three times as many adolescents employed this method compared to 2019, raising concerns about potential increased risks of addiction and mental health issues.
According to Dr. Slim Haddad, one of the researchers presenting these findings, the majority of cannabis consumers in secondary schools, whether new or existing users, have engaged in cannabis vaping. These unprecedented observations were shared during the Annual Public Health Conference in Quebec.
The results are part of a longitudinal study conducted in 42 secondary schools by Laval University and the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale. In 2023, 12% of the approximately 24,000 surveyed adolescents reported cannabis use (compared to 16% in 2019), with two-thirds of them using vaping devices, a significant increase from the 20% reported in 2019.
