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Eventually, most adults reach a point where we realize we are out of touch with those much younger than us.

Perhaps it is a pop culture reference that sparks the realization. For me, this moment happened when I was in my late 20s and working with adolescents in school settings to help them quit smoking. When other drugs would occasionally come up, I didn’t understand some of the slang terms they used for these drugs. Many people may have that feeling now when the topic of cannabis comes up – especially in its .

As a professor of psychology, in adolescents and young adults. A major change during my time in research is the across the U.S.

There are for adult use in the U.S., but expanded access to legal cannabis also may have unintended consequences for adolescents. These consequences are compounded by the .

A shifting landscape

I use the word “cannabis” since it refers to the . It also serves as a catch-all term for any substance with chemical compounds from cannabis plants and addresses concerns that the word .

Cannabis now comes in a larger variety of forms than it used to. When most people over 40 think of cannabis, they imagine its dried form for smoking. This cannabis was not particularly strong: The of cannabis seized by the Drug Enforcement Agency in 1995 was 4%, .

In addition to the smoked form, some might remember an edible form, often baked into a dessert like a brownie, or , which is of the cannabis plant.

Today there are many different that have , typically ranging from , depending on the method of extraction.

These include oils that can be vaporized by vape or dab pens, waxier substances and even powders.

How cannabis derivatives interact with the brain

THC and , or CBD, are the most common chemicals in cannabis. Each one interacts with the brain in different ways, producing different perceived effects.

CBD that THC does, and cannabidiol may have , as well as other . The differences between THC and CBD come from how they interact with cannabinoid receptors – the proteins onto which these drugs attach – in the brain and body.

However, CBD can also make people sleepy, and cause stomach upset. Never use a CBD product without consulting a physician.

The changing nature of cannabis products

THC is the chemical most strongly associated with the high from cannabis. By increasing the amount of THC, concentrated products can increase blood levels of THC rapidly and such as traditional smoked cannabis.

Cannabis concentrates also come in many different forms that range from waxy or creamy to hard and brittle. They are made in a that may require dry ice, water or flammable solvents such as butane.

The myriad names for cannabis concentrates can be confusing. Concentrate names include “budder,” which refers to a yellowish paste like frosting; “shatter” is made similarly to budder but comes in a thin, brittle and translucent form; there’s also “wax” or “crumble,” which confusingly is not waxy but is more like a powdery or grainy substance; and “keef” or “kief,” which is powdery in nature and derived from the most potent parts of the cannabis plant. It is similar to hashish.

The names change regularly and can or from person to person. It is best to ask what a term means from an open and curious place than to act as if you know all the terminology.

Many concentrates are vaporized and inhaled. Vaporizing is different than smoking, as vaporizing heats the concentrate until it becomes a gas, which is inhaled. Smoking involves burning the compound to produce an inhaled gas.

Many who vaporize concentrates call it “.” This refers to the dab of concentrate to heat, vaporize and inhale.

Another way to . Vape pens are sometimes also called dab pens, depending on the local terms.

Cannabis use and adolescents

One of the reasons why young people are drawn to these sorts of products is that vaping or dabbing the concentrated form makes it easier to hide cannabis use. Vaping cannabis does not create the typical smell associated with weed.

A 2021 systematic review found that past-year cannabis vaping nearly doubled from 2017 to 2020 in adolescents – . A more recent study in five northeastern U.S. states found that , a more narrow time frame that suggests potential increases in use. In addition, a 2020 study found that one-third of adolescents who vape .

Cannabis use by adolescents is scary because it can alter the way their brains develop. Research shows that the brains of adolescents who use cannabis are in response to new experiences, which is a key part of adolescent development. Adolescents who use cannabis are also more likely to , and .

The risks of cannabis use are because of the high levels of THC. This is true for both adolescents and adults, with greater risk for such as hallucinations and delusions, .

The best analogy is with another drug – alcohol. Most people know that a 12-ounce beer is much less potent than 12 ounces of vodka. Cannabis in smoked form is closer to the beer, while a concentrate is more like the vodka. Neither is safe for an adolescent, but one is even more dangerous.

These dangers make early conversations with kids about cannabis and cannabis concentrates critically important. Research that of drug use makes adolescents less likely to start drug use.

early – ideally before middle school. You can find some to .

While these conversations can be uncomfortable, and you can look like the out-of-touch adult, they can be a major step toward preventing adolescents from using cannabis and other drugs.

Ty Schepis receives funding from US Food and Drug Administration and the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Institute on Drug Abuse. His research is also supported by a faculty fellowship from the Texas State University Translational Health Research Center.