Substance use patterns in 9 to 13-year-olds: Longitudinal findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study

Substance use onset in high-risk 9–13 year-olds in the ABCD study

“…Interestingly, several risk factors for early substance use onset were more commonly identified in youth whose hair tested positive: being male [34] and of lower socioeconomic status [35]. Greater rates of male substance use is also consistent with the broader ABCD cohort, where males report higher levels of early substance experimentation (e.g., sipping, puffing) than females [12]. Further, the evidence-based algorithm developed to identify early onset based on common risk factors was significantly associated with positive hair results.…”

“…Even in youth who report some low-level substance use (e.g., alcohol sipping or nicotine puffing), based on their hair results, some participants appear to minimize self-reported use. Several dozen participants reported substance use levels as more than a sip or puff at baseline (ages 9-10), suggesting not all youth deny substance use on interview [12]. It is important to note that hair toxicology may not detect low level substance use [14], though detection of even single use occasions is possible [33] and measurement was assessed at the limit of detection to maximize sensitivity.…”

“…Participants endorsing past-year substance use completed a detailed 12-month Timeline Followback interview about alcohol, nicotine (cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems, smokeless tobacco, cigars, hookah, pipe, and nicotine replacement products), cannabis (smoked/vaped flower, smoked blunts, edibles, smoked/vaped concentrates, oral tinctures, and cannabis-infused alcohol drinks, synthetic cannabinoids), cocaine, cathinones, methamphetamine, ecstasy/MDMA, ketamine, gamma-hydroxy-butyrate, heroin, hallucinogens, psilocybin, salvia, anabolic steroids, inhalants, prescription stimulants, sedatives, and opioid pain relievers, and over the counter (OTC) cough/cold medicine use. Full reporting of substance use from ABCD's cohort at baseline can be found in Lisdahl et al [12].…”

“…Accordingly, the ABCD Study was designed to measure substance use with both self-report and multiple toxicological measurements. Consistent with project goals, the vast majority of ABCD participants self-reported being substance naïve at baseline, except for caffeine [12]. Recent (24 hours) substance use is assessed with breathalyzer for alcohol, urinalysis for nicotine, and oral fluid for other drugs [1,13].…”

Multivariate genome-wide association meta-analysis of over 1 million subjects identifies loci underlying multiple substance use disorders

“…To identify phenotypes that were associated with the addiction-rf before the onset of regular substance use, we used data from the ABCD Study (release 2.0 for genomic data and 3.0 for phenotypes) to conduct a phenomewide association analysis of behavioural, social and environmental phenotypes in adolescence. The ABCD Study is an ongoing multi-site longitudinal study of child health and development (Methods) 31,74 . Children (N = 11,875; including twins and siblings) ages 8.9-11 years were recruited from 22 sites across the United States to complete the ABCD Study baseline assessment.…”