Perceived cannabis use norms and cannabis use among adolescents in the United States

Abstract

Due to changes in cannabis policies, concerns about cannabis use (CU) in adolescents have increased. The population of nonwhite groups is growing quickly in the United States. We examined perceived CU norms and their association with CU and CU disorder (CUD) for White, Black, Hispanic, Native-American, Asian-American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NH/PI), and mixed-race adolescents. Data were from adolescents (12–17 years) in the 2004–2012 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (N=163,837). Substance use and CUD were assessed by computer-assisted, self-interviewing methods. Blacks, Hispanics, Native-Americans, and mixed-race adolescents had greater odds of past-year CU and CUD than Whites. Among past-year cannabis users (CUs), Hispanics and Native-Americans had greater odds of having a CUD than Whites. Asian-Americans had the highest prevalence of perceived parental or close friends’ CU disapproval. Native-Americans and mixed-race adolescents had lower odds than Whites of perceiving CU disapproval from parents or close friends. In adjusted analyses, adolescent’s disapproval of CU, as well as perceived disapproval by parents or close friends, were associated with a decreased odds of CU in each racial/ethnic group, except for NHs/PIs. Adolescent’s disapproval of CU was associated with a decreased odds of CUD among CUs for Whites (personal, parental, and close friends’ disapproval), Hispanics (personal, parental, and close friends’ disapproval), and mixed-race adolescents (personal, close friends’ disapproval). Racial/ethnic differences in adolescent CU prevalence were somewhat consistent with adolescents’ reports of CU norm patterns. Longitudinal research on CU health effects should oversample nonwhite adolescents to assure an adequate sample for analysis and reporting.

Race/ethnicity and marijuana use in the United States: Diminishing differences in the prevalence of use, 2006–2015

“…However, the direction of the trend and its magnitude may be heterogeneous by race and ethnicity (Johnson et al, 2015; Miech et al, 2016). Past epidemiological studies of race/ethnicity and marijuana use have found that among adolescents, those who identify as White, American Indian or multiracial are more or equally likely to use marijuana than adolescents identifying as Black, Hispanic, or Asian adolescents (Johnson et al, 2015; Pacek et al, 2012; Wu et al, 2015; Wu et al, 2011). Considerable theory has been developed and an evidence base underlying these patterns has been established (Compton et al, 2004; Wallace, 1999; Wallace et al, 2003).…”

“…At the individual level, boys exhibit higher prevalence of marijuana use than girls (Pacek et al, 2012; Wallace, 1999; Wu et al, 2015), and socio-economic status is often correlated with marijuana use, though studies are mixed on the direction of the association (Bachman et al, 2011; Patrick et al, 2012). Yet these relationships also differ by race (Bachman et al, 2010), and given shifts in race/ethnic differences in substance use across time, these relationships may differ over time (Keyes et al, 2015; Lemstra et al, 2008).…”

Influence of legal status on the uptake of cannabis in young people

“…Depenalisation refers to the lessening of penalties (criminal or civil) attached to cannabis possession while decriminalisation is form of depenalisation concerned with removing the criminal status (10). Policy changes in European countries 4 such as Netherlands which accommodate the sale and use of small amounts of cannabis align with International Treaties by retaining cannabis as an illegal substance (5,11,12).…”

“…For example, while the minimum age for use in Colorado and Washington is 21 years, it is set at 18 years in Uruguay (5). Despite these guidelines, there are significant concerns that legalising a substance that was criminalised on the basis of its harmfulness may reduce young of its harm, reduce its cost and hence increase access or use (4,13,(16)(17)(18). Preventing the uptake of cannabis is critical because it is much easier to prevent initiation than to encourage users to quit during a period of their lives when they are more vulnerable to health related harm (19).…”

“…The proportion of users needing treatment for the first time is increasing and they are predominantly in their twenties except in Asia where they are in their thirties (1). There are indications that cannabis use in adolescence is associated with an increased risk of mental health problems, cognitive impairment and dependence (2)(3)(4). Active brain development occurs until 21 years and the negative effects of cannabis are more severe when uptake and use occurs during the developmental phase (3).…”