Changing perspectives on marijuana use during early adolescence and young adulthood: Evidence from a panel of cross-sectional surveys
Files
Accepted manuscript
Date
2016-12
Authors
Salas-Wright, Christopher P.
Vaughn, Michael G.
Perron, Brian E.
Gonzalez, Jennifer M. Reingle
Goings, Trenette Clark
Version
Embargo Date
2018-12-31
OA Version
Citation
Christopher P Salas-Wright, Michael G Vaughn, Brian E Perron, Jennifer M Reingle Gonzalez, Trenette Clark Goings. 2016. "Changing perspectives on marijuana use during early adolescence and young adulthood: Evidence from a panel of cross-sectional surveys." Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Volume 169, pp. 5 - 10. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.09.026
Abstract
Introduction. Prior research has often overlooked potential cohort differences in marijuana
views and use across adolescence and young adulthood. To begin to address this gap, we conduct
an exploratory examination of marijuana views and use among American youth using a panel of
cross-sectional surveys. Method. Findings are based on repeated, cross-sectional data collected
annually from adolescents (ages 12-17; n = 230,452) and young adults (ages 18-21; n = 120,588)
surveyed as part of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health between 2002 and 2014. For
each of the birth years between 1986 and 1996, we combined a series of nationally representative
cross-sections to provide multi-year data strings designed to approximate nationally
representative cohorts. Results. Compared to youth born in the mid-to-late 1980s, youth born in
the mid-1990s reported significantly higher levels of marijuana disapproval during the early
adolescent years (Age 14: 1988 = 64.7%, 1994 = 70.4%) but lower levels of disapproval during
the young adult years (Age 19: 1988 = 32.0%, 1994 = 25.0%; Age 20: 1988 = 27.9%, 1994 =
19.7%). Moreover, the prevalence of marijuana use among youth born in 1994 was significantly
lower—compared to youth born in 1988—at age 14 (1988: 11.39%, 1994: 8.19%) and
significantly higher at age 18 (1988: 29.67%, 1994: 34.83%). This pattern held even when
adjusting for potential confounding by demographic changes in the population across the study
period. Conclusions. We see evidence of changes in the perceptions of marijuana use among
youth born during the late twentieth century.
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License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International