Characteristics Associated With Cannabis Use Initiation by Late Childhood and Early Adolescence in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, in JAMA Pediatrics
key takeaway: "Prevalence of cannabis use initiation by early adolescence in the ABCD study (1.56%) closely parallels rates of cannabis initiation observed in nationally representative samples (eg, 1.87%1). Prenatal cannabis exposure was associated with a more than 2-fold increase in early onset of cannabis use, independent of prenatal exposure to or use of other substances or family history of drug or alcohol problems. Similar associations have been noted in later adolescence or adulthood,4 but our study suggests an association with early-onset use. In addition to replicating associations between externalizing behavior and early cannabis use,5 anhedonia and depressed mood at age 9 to 11 years were associated with future early-onset cannabis use, highlighting internalizing symptomatology as a risk factor for early initiation. Moreover, cannabis-related individual (eg, positive expectancies), social (eg, peer use/attitudes), and environmental (eg, ease of access) factors were associated with early onset use."
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