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Comments on Trends in Reported Marijuana Vaping Among US

Adolescents, 2017-2019
The problem under examination in this study is the prevalence of marijuana vaping among
adolescents in the United States and the changes in this prevalence from 2017 to 2019 1.
The study specifically focuses on the increasing use of portable devices for vaping
marijuana, which is a matter of concern due to its greater physiological and psychological
effects compared to traditional smoking methods, potentially leading to health risks 2.

The source of the data in this study is primarily secondary. The data is collected from the
Monitoring the Future survey, which annually surveys a nationally representative sample
(statistical units) of 8th, 10th, and 12th grades students. The surveys are administered in
a school-based setting where participants are asked questions related to their marijuana
vaping habits over various time periods (past 30 days, past 12 months, and lifetime).
The specific question is: “On how many days (if any) have you vaped marijuana?”

The variables collected in this study are quantitative, as they involve numerical
measurements. The primary focus is on the prevalence of marijuana vaping, which is a
continuous variable.

The data is presented in tabular form, providing

Table 1. Prevalence of Reported Marijuana Vaping by Grade and
Year
prevalence percentages for different grades and
time periods (past 30 days, past 12 months, and
lifetime) analyzing the frequency of vaping
activity among US adolescents from 2017 to 2019.
The table format is suitable for displaying this type
of data, making it easy to compare different
groups and timeframes.
Measures of central tendency, such as the mean
and median, are not explicitly provided in the
study since they are not relevant to the nature of
the data.
Since the data are also categorical and focuses on
changes over time and across grade levels, tables
are a suitable choice. Graphs, in this case, may not
provide additional insight beyond what the tables
offer.

The study does not analyze correlation between variables, as it primarily focuses on
reporting prevalence rates over time and across different grades. It does not explore the
relationships between variables in this context.

An increase in prevalence is evident across different grade levels and time periods.
Furthermore, as of September 24, 2019, CDC received 805 reports of vaping-related lung
injuries from 46 states, with 54.2% of hospitalized patients falling into the age groups of
<18 years and 18-25 years. This underscores the urgency of implementing new prevention
and intervention measures to counter the growing trend of marijuana vaping among
adolescents and its associated health risks and hospitalization rates.

1
Miech RA, Patrick ME, O’Malley PM, Johnston LD, Bachman JG. Trends in Reported Marijuana Vaping Among US Adolescents, 2017-
2019. JAMA. 2020;323(5):475–476. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.20185
2
Characteristics of a Multistate Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with E-cigarette Use, or Vaping — United States, 2019
(https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6839e1.htm#F1_down). Accessed on 3rd November, 2023.