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How do high school seniors get marijuana? Prevalence and sociodemographic differences
Anna C Wagner1, Michael J Parks1, Megan E Patrick2
1Institute for Translational Research in Children's Mental Health, University of Minnesota, 1100 Washington Avenue South, Suite 101, Minneapolis, MN 55415, United States.
Addictive Behaviors
|November 25, 2020
Summary
Adolescents most often obtain marijuana from friends, but riskier methods like buying from dealers are more common among males, urban youth, and frequent users. Prevention efforts should target these specific acquisition methods and groups.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Health
- Substance Use Research
- Sociology of Youth
Background:
- Understanding adolescent marijuana acquisition is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
- Limited research exists on how adolescents obtain marijuana and variations across demographic groups.
- This study addresses the gap in knowledge regarding adolescent marijuana access routes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the primary methods adolescents use to acquire marijuana.
- To examine if these marijuana acquisition methods differ based on sociodemographic characteristics.
- To identify patterns in marijuana access among different adolescent subgroups.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the nationally representative Monitoring the Future study (2012-2018) of US 12th graders.
- Analyzed self-reported marijuana acquisition methods from participants who used in the past 12 months.
- Employed multivariable logistic regression and cross-tabulation to assess sociodemographic and usage frequency associations.
Main Results:
- The most common ways adolescents obtained marijuana were receiving it for free from friends, buying from friends, or buying from a drug dealer/stranger.
- Riskier acquisition methods, such as buying from dealers, were more prevalent among male students, urban students, and frequent marijuana users.
- Frequent users were more likely to obtain marijuana through most methods, while non-frequent users were more likely to receive it for free from friends.
Conclusions:
- Identifying prevalent marijuana acquisition methods and at-risk subgroups is essential for targeted prevention.
- Tailoring drug use prevention programs to specific adolescent populations and their access routes can enhance effectiveness.
- Findings inform public health initiatives aimed at reducing adolescent marijuana use and associated risks.