Neighborhood Environment and Urban African American Marijuana Use during High School

Abstract

African American male high school students have the highest rates of marijuana use among all racial, ethnic, and gender groups, yet there is limited research examining contextual factors salient to the African American community. The purpose of this study was to examine how neighborhood environment measured in 8th grade is related to longitudinal transitions in marijuana use during high school (9th to 12th grades) in a sample of urban African Americans. Four hundred and fifty-two African American children were interviewed annually beginning in 1st grade as part of a longitudinal field study in Baltimore city. Latent transition analysis indicated early in high school posed the greatest risk for initiation and progression of marijuana use. Community violence exposure was associated with an increased likelihood of transitioning from no marijuana use to infrequent use (adjusted odds ratios (AOR)=2.40, pG0.001). Higher perceived neighborhood disorder (AOR=3.20, p= 0.004), drug activity and sales in the neighborhood (AOR=2.28, p=0.028), and community violence exposure (AOR=4.54, pG0.001) were associated with an increased risk of transitioning from no use to frequent/problematic marijuana use. There was evidence for partial mediation of these associations by perceptions of harm and depressed mood. Drug activity and sales was associated with progression from infrequent to frequent and problematic use (AOR=2.87, p=0.029). African American youth living in urban environments with exposure to drug activity, violence, and neighborhood disorder are at increased risk for both initiation and progression to more frequent and problematic marijuana use during high school. These findings highlight the need to develop interventions for African American youth that are mindful of the impact of the additional stressors of living in a highrisk urban environment during a critical developmental transition period. Reducing exposure to drug activity and violence in high-risk urban neighborhoods may be the first step to potentially halt increasing rates of marijuana use among African Americans.

Prevalence of Marijuana Use Disorders in the United States Between 2001-2002 and 2012-2013

“…Part of the explanation may lie in the widening income gap between white and black and Hispanic individuals during 71 and after 72 the 2008 recession, possibly leading to increased minority stress and demoralization and substance use as a coping mechanism. 73–75 Increasing economic disparity of black and Hispanic individuals relative to white individuals may also have exacerbated neighborhood environmental factors (neighborhood disorder, violence, and visible drug sales) that increase the risk for adolescent marijuana use 75 and may also apply to adults. Compared with white individuals, minorities may also hold different attitudes toward marijuana (eg, viewing marijuana positively as a “natural” product 76 ) also warranting investigation.…”

Prevalence and Correlates of DSM-5 Cannabis Use Disorder, 2012-2013: Findings from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions–III

“…This is consistent with notable increases in the prevalence of cannabis use and cannabis use disorders among blacks (29, 53–55). While reasons for this change are unclear, increasing economic disparity between blacks and whites since the 2008 economic recession (56, 57) may have exacerbated neighborhood factors (disorder, violence, visible drug dealing) that increase adolescent marijuana use (58), and may function similarly in adults, an issue warranting investigation. Blacks may also hold different attitudes towards marijuana than whites, possibly viewing it as a natural and therefore safe substance (22).…”

The role of neighborhood in urban black adolescent marijuana use

“…In a sample of primarily Black youth in Baltimore, neighborhood physical, but not social disorder, was associated with marijuana use after high school (Furr-Holden et al, 2011, 2014). Using data from the same study but restricted to Blacks, Reboussin et al (2014) found that perceptions of neighborhood disorder, increased drug activity and exposure to violence in 8 th grade were associated with initiation and progression to more frequent marijuana use between 9 th and 12 th grades.…”