Study identifies teens at risk for hashish use.

PositionDrug Abuse

The recent increase in popularity of marijuana coupled with more liberal state-level polices has begun to change the landscape of adolescent drug use. More potent forms of marijuana, such as hashish, may present a threat to adolescent health. A wealth of research has been conducted to examine risk factors for teen marijuana use; however, studies rarely differentiate between various forms of marijuana.

A study published in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse was among the first to examine prevalence and correlates of hashish use in a nationally representative sample of U.S. high school students.

Hashish and nonhashish marijuana can be smoked, vaporized, or cooked in food. Hashish can be used either in its natural state or converted into a more concentrated oil. However, while a typical marijuana cigarette contains 0.5% to five percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the most potent psychoactive cannabinoid, hashish tends to contain two percent to 20%, with some estimates as high as 50%.

"Another key finding was that other drug use was a robust risk factor for hashish use," says researcher...

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