A prospective study of marijuana use change and cessation among adolescents

Abstract

Background With marijuana use increasing among American adolescents, better understanding the factors associated with decreasing use and quitting can help inform cessation efforts. This study evaluates a range of neighborhood, family, peer network, and individual factors as predictors of marijuana use change and non-use over one year, and cessation over six years. Methods Data come from adolescents in Waves I and II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N=458, one-year sample), or Waves I and III (N=358, six-year sample), and reported using marijuana at least four times in the past month at Wave I. Results Eighteen percent of adolescents stopped using marijuana after six years. Results suggest neighborhood context affects overall use level, whereas neighborhood context and friends were critical to cessation vs. continuation of use. Decreases in use were more likely among adolescents in disadvantaged or less cohesive neighborhoods, or who moved between waves. Non-use after one year was more likely among adolescents who did not move, had fewer marijuana-using friends, and did not exclusively have outside-of-school friends. Cessation at six years was more likely among adolescents in less disadvantaged and more cohesive neighborhoods, and for those with within-school friends. Conclusions Results highlight the importance of both objective and subjective neighborhood characteristics, as well as peer networks, on adolescent marijuana use. Factors associated with decreases in use appear distinct from those that predict quitting, suggesting that continuation versus cessation is linked to peers as well as neighborhood context. Relocated and isolated individuals may face challenges with cessation.

A pilot trial of text-delivered peer network counseling to treat young adults with cannabis use disorder

“…Extensive research has shown that peer context is a very robust predictor of cannabis use (Pollard, Tucker, de la Haye, Green, & Kennedy, 2014). For example, a recent study demonstrated that when actual friends’ cannabis use increased, personal cannabis increased (Deutsch, Chernyavskiy, Steinley, & Slutske, 2015).…”

State of transition: Marijuana use among young adults in the San Francisco Bay Area

“…4 However in longitudinal studies of adolescents, including those accounting for cannabis use disorders, non-Hispanic black adolescents and young adults and those identifying with two or more racial categories appear to be at greater risk. 6,7 Furthermore, as local data may differ significantly from findings in national data sets, closer examination of sociodemographic associations with marijuana use in a diverse population of young adults may suggest unique targets for intervention.…”

Peer Network Counseling as Brief Treatment for Urban Adolescent Heavy Cannabis Users

“…Research supports the clinical effectiveness of targeting adolescent peer network characteristics with brief interventions (Chung et al, 2015). Peer context is a very robust predictor of cannabis use (Pollard et al, 2014); thus, integrating peer networks into cannabis use interventions is warranted.…”