Pine Rosin as a Toxic Cannabis Extract Adulterant

Pine rosin (colophony) has been identified as a new adulterant in cannabis oil for vaping. Its inhalation toxicity is a significant health concern. For example, pine rosin fumes are released during soldering, and have been cited as a causative agent of occupational asthma. Symptoms also include desquamation of bronchial epithelium, which has been observed in EVALI patients. The sample analyzed herein also contains medium chain triglycerides and oleamide, the latter of which is found in the synthetic marijuana product Spice, or K2. A combination of NMR and HPLC-ESIMS was used to unambiguously identify major pine rosin ingredients such as abietic and other resin acids. Comparison to commercial samples of pure pine rosin confirmed the assignment.<br>

Pine Rosin as a Toxic Cannabis Extract Adulterant

Pine rosin (colophony) has been identified as a new adulterant in cannabis oil for vaping. Its inhalation toxicity is a significant health concern. For example, pine rosin fumes are released during soldering, and have been cited as a causative agent of occupational asthma. Symptoms also include desquamation of bronchial epithelium, which has been observed in EVALI patients. The sample analyzed herein also contains medium chain triglycerides and oleamide, the latter of which is found in the synthetic marijuana product Spice, or K2. A combination of NMR and HPLC-ESIMS was used to unambiguously identify major pine rosin ingredients such as abietic and other resin acids. Comparison to commercial samples of pure pine rosin confirmed the assignment.<br>

Substance Use Patterns Among Adolescents: A Latent Class Analysis

BACKGROUND: Substance use among adolescents remains a major public health concern, which is correlated with mortality. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to (1) examine risk factors predisposing adolescents to substance use and (2) identify patterns of simultaneous drug exploration among adolescents. METHOD: Data ( N = 15,624; collected in 2015) were drawn from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which is a national school-based survey of 9th- to 12th-grade students to monitor health risk behaviors. Substance use was assessed using self-reported questionnaires, and latent class analysis and logistic regression were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Five latent patterns of substance use were identified: (1) abstinent (64%); (2) 1st-step social experimenter (25%) (i.e., used alcohol, e-cigarettes, and/or marijuana); (3) 2nd-step social experimenter (6%) (i.e., used alcohol, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, marijuana, synthetic marijuana, and/or prescription pills); (4) pill experimenter (4%), (i.e., used prescription pills); (5) full experimenter (2%) (i.e., likely to use all assessed substances). Gender, race, grade, and depressive mood were strong predictors of membership in a particular substance use class. CONCLUSION: Adolescents presenting for care may possess symptoms associated with various substances beyond those being managed. Mental health nurses can leverage these results in reducing adolescent substance use through primary and secondary prevention. A longitudinal study of not only substance use patterns but also the progression to substance use disorders among adolescents is warranted.