Uneven effects of twenty years of Chile's cannabis policy implementation in cannabis onset

BACKGROUND

In Chile, Laws 19366 and 20000, implemented in 1995 and 2005 respectively, regulated and sanctioned cannabis' personal use, cultivation and trafficking.

METHODS

We use thirteen biannual cross-sectional national surveys data from 1994 to 2018 to examine the effect of Laws 19366 and 20000-using the rate of individuals incarcerated per 100000 population due to drug-related crimes as proxy-on the age of onset of cannabis use over time. We estimate the effect of these policies using a mixed proportional hazards framework that models the transition to first cannabis use in 47,832 individuals aged 12-21.

RESULTS

Overall, changes in these laws did not affect the transition to first cannabis use. However, increases in the rate of individuals incarcerated were associated with decreases on the age of onset of cannabis use in females and individuals living in affluent neighborhoods or in specific regions.

CONCLUSION

We find no evidence of cannabis policy changes affecting the age of onset of cannabis use across all individuals aged 12-21. Policy effects associated with decreases in cannabis onset age in females and individuals from affluent neighborhoods or specific regions can be explained by using theoretical frames that recognize specific dynamics of cannabis supply and demand.

Prenatal cocaine exposure and substance use disorder in emerging adulthood at age 21

BACKGROUND

Prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) has been associated with child and adolescent externalizing behaviors and early substance use, yet few studies investigated its association with substance use disorder (SUD) in emerging adults. The present study examined the association of PCE with SUD in emerging adulthood, and whether childhood externalizing behaviors and adolescent substance use mediated the relationship.

METHODS

Participants were 367 (187 PCE; 53% female) adults at age 21, primarily urban African American who were recruited at birth. PCE and exposure to alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana were determined using biologic assays for drug metabolites and/or maternal self-report at birth. Offspring externalizing problems were assessed using the Youth Self-Report at age 12, substance use and substance use-related problems via biologic assays and/or self-report at age 15, and SUD determined using DSM-5 diagnostic criteria at age 21.

RESULTS

About 32.3% of the emerging adults were determined to have marijuana use disorder, 30.3% tobacco use disorder, and 15.5% alcohol use disorder. PCE was related to greater externalizing behaviors at age 12 (β = 0.12, p = .042), which in turn was related to SUD (β = 0.22, p = .008). PCE was also related to substance use, mainly marijuana, at age 15 (β = 0.22, p = .011), which was related to SUD (β = 0.51, p < .001). Total indirect effects including these two pathways were significant (β = 0.19, p = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

PCE may increase risk for SUD in emerging adulthood through childhood externalizing behaviors and adolescent substance use.

Parent-child Relations, Religiousness, and Adolescent Substance Use Disorders

Research has shown that parent-child relationships and religiousness are negatively associated with substance use among adolescents, but few studies have addressed their relationship with substance use disorders (SUDs). This study explored whether high quality parent-child relations are negatively associated with the risk of an SUD among adolescents, especially when religiousness is high. The data used to assess this inquiry were from 4 years (2016–2019) of the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). SUDs in the past year were based on a set of questions consistent with criteria enumerated in the DSM-IV. Latent measures of parent-child relations and religiousness were also constructed. The results of an augmented inverse probability weighting (AIPW) model furnished empirical evidence in support of the notion that the lowest risk of an SUD occurred among those reporting high quality parent-child relations and high religiousness, even after adjusting for a substantial number of selection factors.