More than just Alcohol: Marijuana and Illicit Drug Use at Parties Attended by 15–20 Year Olds

Abstract

Background Parties are a common setting for marijuana and illicit drug use among adolescents. Objectives This study examined the context of parties with alcohol, marijuana and illicit drug use attended by adolescents and young adults. Methods In 2016, an address-based sample of 1,764 15–20-year-olds in 24 U.S. communities participated in an online survey. Parties were categorized as alcohol-only (Alc-only), marijuana+alcohol (Mj+Alc), and illicit+marijuana+alcohol (ID+Mj+Alc) based on survey participants’ observations and self-reported drug use at the last party attended. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify correlates of substance use at parties. Results 1,089 participants (61.7%) reported ever attending a party where alcohol was consumed. Of those, 60.1% reported that the last party they attended had Alc-only, 24.9% had Mj+Alc, and 10.0% had ID+Mj+Alc. Older participants were more likely to attend a party with Mj+Alc or ID+Mj+Alc. Participants whose mother had a college degree (compared to less than a college degree) were less likely to attend a party with ID+Mj+Alc. Parties with Mj+Alc and ID+Mj+Alc were larger and the majority of attendees were under 21. Parties with ID+Mj+Alc were more likely to be majority female compared to mixed gender. Parties with Mj+Alc were more likely to occur at someone else’s home and be in states where medical and recreational marijuana use was legal. Conclusion One-third of parties attended by 15–20-year-olds had marijuana and/or illicit drug use in addition to alcohol consumption. The identified risk factors of parties with marijuana and illicit drug use can be used to develop targeted prevention strategies.

Social and Situational Party Characteristics Associated With High‐Intensity Alcohol Use Among Youth and Young Adults

“…Six characteristics of the last party the participant attended were assessed (Egan et al., ). (i) Location of the party: One item asked “ For the last party you attended where alcohol was being served, where did it mostly take place?”.…”

“…Risk for underage alcohol use and consequences varies across these factors, and drinking contexts are associated with the risk of experiencing alcohol‐related problems independent of an individual's level of alcohol consumption (Lipperman‐Kreda et al., ; Mair et al., ). For example, parties are the most commonly reported context for alcohol use among high school seniors (McCabe et al., ), and larger parties are associated with increased risk for drinking (Egan et al., ; Lipperman‐Kreda et al., ; Wagoner et al., ). Factors within these contexts may translate into increased risk for alcohol consumption and negative consequences by increasing access to alcohol (Bersamin et al., ), direct modeling of alcohol use behaviors (Clapp and Shillington, ), and reinforcing social norms and increasing social pressure to consume alcohol (e.g., Elek et al., ).…”

More drugs, more problems? Simultaneous use of alcohol and marijuana at parties among youth and young adults

“…Due to the focus of the parent study's objective to evaluate a comprehensive set of strategies, including social host ordinances, selected and implemented by community organizations, to be eligible, cities had to have a population between 25,000 and 300,000, a local law enforcement authority, and an active community substance abuse prevention coalition with leadership that was willing to participate in the trial. In addition, at the time of recruitment cities could not have a social host ordinance or be located within a state with a state-level social host law (Egan et al, 2018;Wolfson et al, 2017). Social host laws and ordinances hold property owners, or those who control the property, liable for underage drinking that occurs on the property (Wagoner et al, 2011).…”

“…SAM use among youth and young adults frequently occurs in a social context (Terry McElrath et al, 2013). In a sample of 15-20 year olds residing in the US who had ever attended a party with alcohol, 24.9% reported that they had observed both alcohol consumption and marijuana use at the last party they attended (Egan et al, 2018). Parties where both alcohol and marijuana were used were more likely than parties with just alcohol consumption to occur in someone else's home, be larger in size with the majority of attendees under 21, and in a state where medical and recreational marijuana were legal (Egan et al, 2018).…”

“…In a sample of 15-20 year olds residing in the US who had ever attended a party with alcohol, 24.9% reported that they had observed both alcohol consumption and marijuana use at the last party they attended (Egan et al, 2018). Parties where both alcohol and marijuana were used were more likely than parties with just alcohol consumption to occur in someone else's home, be larger in size with the majority of attendees under 21, and in a state where medical and recreational marijuana were legal (Egan et al, 2018). Another study found that individuals who engaged in SAM use were more likely to be at a party without adult supervision and to be with same-age peers consuming alcohol (Lipperman-Kreda et al, 2017).…”