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Quednow BB, Steinhoff A, Bechtiger L, Ribeaud D, Eisner M, Shanahan L. High Prevalence and Early Onsets: Legal and Illegal Substance Use in an Urban Cohort of Young Adults in Switzerland. Eur Addict Res 2022; 28:186-198. [PMID: 34864731 DOI: 10.1159/000520178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Debates about the legalization of illegal substances (e.g., cannabis) continue around the globe. A key consideration in these debates is the adequate protection of young people, which could be informed by current prevalence and age-of-onset patterns. For Switzerland, such information is limited, which is particularly true for women, despite advanced political efforts to legalize cannabis. The objective of the current study was to investigate substance use prevalence rates and ages of onset in a community-representative sample of female and male young adults in Switzerland. METHODS Data came from the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso). In 2018, participants (N = 1,180, 50.8% females) were ∼20 years old. Lifetime and past-year use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabinoids, stimulants, hallucinogens, opioids, and benzodiazepines were assessed with an extensive substance use questionnaire. Additionally, ages of onsets of the respective substances were estimated by averaging participants' self-reported ages of onsets from ages 13 to 20 (max. 4 assessments). RESULTS 57% of 20-year-olds had used cannabinoids, 16% stimulants, 15% opioids (mostly codeine), and 8% hallucinogens in the past year. Males had higher prevalence than females for most drugs; nevertheless, females' prevalence rates were notably high. Legal substance use was typically initiated 1.3-2.7 years before legal selling age. Thus, almost half of the sample had consumed alcohol and tobacco by age 14. More than 40% of the total sample had smoked cannabis by age 16. Males initiated use of legal substances and cannabis earlier than females. DISCUSSION Our recent community-representative data suggested unexpectedly high levels and early onsets of substance use compared to a previous Swiss surveys and also the European average. Drug policy debates should consider urban substance use patterns when considering legalization efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris B Quednow
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Annekatrin Steinhoff
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Bechtiger
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Denis Ribeaud
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Eisner
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lilly Shanahan
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Midgette G, Reuter P. Has Cannabis Use Among Youth Increased After Changes in Its Legal Status? A Commentary on Use of Monitoring the Future for Analyses of Changes in State Cannabis Laws. Prev Sci 2020; 21:137-145. [PMID: 31792712 DOI: 10.1007/s11121-019-01068-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
As US states move toward various forms of adult access to cannabis, there has been a great interest in measuring the impact of such changes on adolescent cannabis use. Two recent prominent analyses have used Monitoring the Future (MTF), a nationally representative survey of students, to examine the effects. We compared MTF data for California and for Washington State with other survey data on use by adolescents in those states. In both studies, findings based on MTF were different from those using other larger, state-representative surveys. The discrepancy reflects the high within-state variation in prevalence rates and the small number of schools in MTF state samples. Using the Washington Health Youth Survey, we estimate that after recreational cannabis legalization past 30-day cannabis use prevalence in grade 8 decreased by 22.0%, in grade 10 prevalence decreased by 12.7%, and no effect in grade 12. These trends are consistent with those in states without recreational cannabis laws, suggesting that legalization did not impact adolescent use prevalence. Long-term trends in MTF are consistent with other data, but year-to-year volatility in state-level series undermines the survey's suitability for evaluation of state cannabis policy changes. Survey-based analyses at the state level need to be cross-validated with findings from other data sources. When findings are disparate and methodological rigor is equivalent, analyses of data sources specifically designed to describe state-level phenomena are more credible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg Midgette
- Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, 2220 LeFrak Hall, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Peter Reuter
- Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, 2220 LeFrak Hall, College Park, MD, USA.,School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, 2101 Van Munching Hall, College Park, MD, USA
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Brighthaupt SC, Schneider KE, Johnson JK, Jones AA, Johnson RM. Trends in Adolescent Heroin and Injection Drug Use in Nine Urban Centers in the U.S., 1999-2017. J Adolesc Health 2019; 65:210-215. [PMID: 31331542 PMCID: PMC6658106 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Although estimates of heroin and injection drug use (IDU) among U.S. adolescents have remained low and stable, national data may mask local variation in use. Adolescent use may be higher in urban areas, many of which have historically high rates of heroin use and IDU. We investigate trends in heroin use and IDU among 9th-12th grade students in major urban centers in the U.S. METHODS We used local Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from all large, urban school districts (n = 9) with at least 5 years of weighted, publicly available data. We used time series mean estimation to estimate the prevalence of heroin use and IDU among high school students from 1999 to 2017 and used logistic regression to test for linear and quadratic trends. RESULTS We observed statistically significant linear increases in (1) lifetime heroin use in New York (β = .43, 1%-3.9%), Chicago (β = .15, 3.1%-4.6%), and Milwaukee (β = .35, 2.8%-7.4%); and (2) lifetime IDU in New York (β = .34, .8%-2.7%), Orange County (β = .17, 2.2%-3.5%), and Miami-Dade County (β = .16, 2.7%-3.9%). Only San Bernardino experienced significant decreases in heroin use (β = -.34, 4.6%-1.6%) and IDU (β = -.20, 2.5%-1.9%) over the time period. CONCLUSIONS In contrast to national trends, the prevalence of heroin use is increasing among adolescents in certain urban centers in the U.S. Our results illustrate that national averages mask local variation in adolescent heroin use. Further research with locally representative samples is needed to inform public health policy and practice, especially in cities where heroin problems have been historically endemic and continue to rise.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristin E Schneider
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Abenaa A Jones
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Renee M Johnson
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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Williams AR, Santaella-Tenorio J, Mauro CM, Levin FR, Martins SS. Loose regulation of medical marijuana programs associated with higher rates of adult marijuana use but not cannabis use disorder. Addiction 2017; 112:1985-1991. [PMID: 28600874 PMCID: PMC5735415 DOI: 10.1111/add.13904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Revised: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Most US states have passed medical marijuana laws (MMLs), with great variation in program regulation impacting enrollment rates. We aimed to compare changes in rates of marijuana use, heavy use and cannabis use disorder across age groups while accounting for whether states enacted medicalized (highly regulated) or non-medical mml programs. DESIGN Difference-in-differences estimates with time-varying state-level MML coded by program type (medicalized versus non-medical). Multi-level linear regression models adjusted for state-level random effects and covariates as well as historical trends in use. SETTING Nation-wide cross-sectional survey data from the US National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) restricted use data portal aggregated at the state level. PARTICIPANTS Participants comprised 2004-13 NSDUH respondents (n ~ 67 500/year); age groups 12-17, 18-25 and 26+ years. States had implemented eight medicalized and 15 non-medical MML programs. MEASUREMENTS Primary outcome measures included (1) active (past-month) marijuana use; (2) heavy use (> 300 days/year); and (3) cannabis use disorder diagnosis, based on DSM-IV criteria. Covariates included program type, age group and state-level characteristics throughout the study period. FINDINGS Adults 26+ years of age living in states with non-medical MML programs increased past-month marijuana use 1.46% (from 4.13 to 6.59%, P = 0.01), skewing towards greater heavy marijuana by 2.36% (from 14.94 to 17.30, P = 0.09) after MMLs were enacted. However, no associated increase in the prevalence of cannabis use disorder was found during the study period. Our findings do not show increases in prevalence of marijuana use among adults in states with medicalized MML programs. Additionally, there were no increases in adolescent or young adult marijuana outcomes following MML passage, irrespective of program type. CONCLUSIONS Non-medical marijuana laws enacted in US states are associated with increased marijuana use, but only among adults aged 26+ years. Researchers and policymakers should consider program regulation and subgroup characteristics (i.e. demographics) when assessing for population level outcomes. Researchers and policymakers should consider program regulation and subgroup characteristics (i.e. demographics) when assessing for population level outcomes.
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Siegel JT, Tan CN, Navarro MA, Alvaro EM, Crano WD. The power of the proposition: frequency of marijuana offers, parental knowledge, and adolescent marijuana use. Drug Alcohol Depend 2015; 148:34-9. [PMID: 25620730 PMCID: PMC4449258 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Revised: 11/26/2014] [Accepted: 11/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The frequency with which adolescents are offered marijuana has been investigated as a predictor of marijuana use. The current study was designed to test whether the number of marijuana offers received provides an indirect path between parental knowledge and adolescents' marijuana use. METHODS Data from the nationally representative National Survey of Parents and Youth were examined. Analysis 1 tested the association between frequency of being offered marijuana and adolescents' (N=4264) marijuana usage in the subsequent year. Analysis 2, spanning a three-year time frame, tested whether the frequency of marijuana offers at the second year of the panel study bridged the relationship between parental knowledge in Year 1 and marijuana use in Year 3. RESULTS Analysis 1 indicated that the frequency with which adolescents were offered marijuana predicted usage one year later, after controlling for previous usage and nine other common predictors of marijuana use. Analysis 2 revealed an indirect relationship between parental knowledge and use through the number of marijuana offers the adolescent received. CONCLUSION There was a strong link between the number of offers received and adolescents' future marijuana use. Higher parental knowledge predicted reductions in offer frequency, which was associated with lower levels of marijuana use. Reducing the number of marijuana offers an adolescent receives could serve as a useful focus for intervention programs targeting parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason T Siegel
- Claremont Graduate University, 150 E 10th St. , Claremont, CA 91711, USA.
| | - Cara N Tan
- Claremont Graduate University, 150 E 10th St. , Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| | - Mario A Navarro
- Claremont Graduate University, 150 E 10th St. , Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| | - Eusebio M Alvaro
- Claremont Graduate University, 150 E 10th St. , Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| | - William D Crano
- Claremont Graduate University, 150 E 10th St. , Claremont, CA 91711, USA
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Vermeulen-Smit E, Verdurmen JEE, Engels RCME, Vollebergh WAM. The role of general parenting and cannabis-specific parenting practices in adolescent cannabis and other illicit drug use. Drug Alcohol Depend 2015; 147:222-8. [PMID: 25500130 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2014] [Revised: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 11/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To investigate general and cannabis-specific parenting practices in relation to adolescent cannabis and other illicit drug use. METHODS Data were derived from the Dutch National School Survey on Substance Use among students (N=3209; aged 12-16 years) and one of their parents in 2011. RESULTS Logistic regression analyses revealed that 1) parental cannabis use was significantly related to more adolescent lifetime and recent cannabis use, and 2) restrictive cannabis-specific parental rules were associated with less adolescent recent cannabis and lifetime use of other illicit drugs, even when controlled for sociodemographic factors, general parenting, adolescent tobacco use, and tobacco-specific parenting. In addition, no significant interaction was observed between parental cannabis use and cannabis-specific rules in their relation to adolescent cannabis and other illicit drug use, indicating that cannabis rules are evenly associated with adolescent drug use for families with and without parental cannabis experience. CONCLUSIONS In addition to general parenting practices, restrictive cannabis-specific rules are related to lower adolescent cannabis and other illicit drug rates. Parents who ever used cannabis have children with a higher prevalence of cannabis use. However, their restrictive cannabis-specific rules are equally related to a lower chance of adolescent cannabis use.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Vermeulen-Smit
- Monitoring and Epidemiology Department, Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction), P.O. Box 725, 3500 AS Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - J E E Verdurmen
- Monitoring and Epidemiology Department, Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction), P.O. Box 725, 3500 AS Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - R C M E Engels
- Monitoring and Epidemiology Department, Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction), P.O. Box 725, 3500 AS Utrecht, The Netherlands; Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - W A M Vollebergh
- Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Steketee M, Oesterle S, Jonkman H, Hawkins JD, Haggerty KP, Aussems C. Transforming prevention systems in the United States and the Netherlands using Communities That Care Promising prevention in the eyes of Josine Junger-Tas. Eur J Crim Pol Res 2013; 19:99-116. [PMID: 24465089 PMCID: PMC3900009 DOI: 10.1007/s10610-012-9194-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Josine Junger-Tas introduced the Communities That Care (CTC) prevention system to the Netherlands as a promising approach to address the growing youth violence and delinquency. Using data from a randomized trial of CTC in the United States and a quasi-experimental study of CTC in the Netherlands, this article describes the results of a comparison of the implementation of CTC in 12 U.S. communities and 5 Dutch neighborhoods. CTC communities in both countries achieved higher stages of a science-based approach to prevention than control communities, but full implementation of CTC in the Netherlands was hampered by the very small list of prevention programs tested and found effective in the Dutch context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majone Steketee
- Verwey-Jonker Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands; , +31302300799 (phone), +31302300683 (fax)
| | - Sabrina Oesterle
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, USA; , (206) 221-4917 (phone), (206) 543-4507 (fax)
| | - Harrie Jonkman
- Verwey-Jonker Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands; , +31302300799 (phone), +31302300683 (fax)
| | - J David Hawkins
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, USA; , (206) 221-4917 (phone), (206) 543-4507 (fax)
| | - Kevin P Haggerty
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, USA; , (206) 221-4917 (phone), (206) 543-4507 (fax)
| | - Claire Aussems
- Verwey-Jonker Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands; , +31302300799 (phone), +31302300683 (fax)
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Oesterle S, Hawkins JD, Steketee M, Jonkman H, Brown EC, Moll M, Haggerty KP. A Cross-national Comparison of Risk and Protective Factors for Adolescent Drug Use and Delinquency in the United States and the Netherlands. J Drug Issues 2012; 42:337-357. [PMID: 26166843 DOI: 10.1177/0022042612461769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The present study compared associations between risk and protective factors and adolescent drug use and delinquency in the Netherlands and the United States. Data were collected from students between the ages of 12 and 17 using the same school-administered survey instrument in both countries. Levels of exposure to risk and protective factors were generally similar in both countries. The same risk and protective factors shown to be associated with U.S. adolescents' drug use and delinquency were related significantly to Dutch youth's drug use and delinquency. One important exception was that Dutch students perceived their parents' attitudes to be more favorable toward alcohol use; these attitudes also were more predictive of adolescents' regular drinking in the Netherlands compared to the United States. The findings indicate that the risk and protective factors measured in this study can be important targets for prevention of health-compromising behaviors among young people in the Netherlands and the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Oesterle
- Social Development Research Group, University of Washington, 9725 3rd Ave NE, Suite 401, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - J David Hawkins
- Social Development Research Group, University of Washington, 9725 3rd Ave NE, Suite 401, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Majone Steketee
- Verwey-Jonker Institute, Kromme Nieuwegracht 6, 3512 HG Utrecht, Netherlands.
| | - Harrie Jonkman
- Verwey-Jonker Institute, Kromme Nieuwegracht 6, 3512 HG Utrecht, Netherlands.
| | - Eric C Brown
- Social Development Research Group, University of Washington, 9725 3rd Ave NE, Suite 401, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Marit Moll
- Verwey-Jonker Institute, Kromme Nieuwegracht 6, 3512 HG Utrecht, Netherlands.
| | - Kevin P Haggerty
- Social Development Research Group, University of Washington, 9725 3rd Ave NE, Suite 401, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
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