Persistent heavy cannabis use in adolescence has been linked to a number of adverse outcomes, from deficits in neurocognitive functioning (Schweinsburg, Brown, & Tapert, 2008) to poor educational performance (Lynskey & Hall, 2000). These deficits have impacts that persist into later life, and have potentially serious negative consequences for adolescents who use cannabis regularly. These outcomes are also linked to delays in reaching adult developmental milestones (Brook, Zhang, Leukefeld, & Brook, 2016). In the first stage of this study, we examined a group of 93 adolescent cannabis users who we will describe as “adolescent-limited”. Adolescent-limited cannabis users are defined as heavy, daily cannabis users at maximum frequency of usage as teenagers, but by the age of 20, their cannabis use has declined from daily use to sporadic use or total abstinence. We compare adolescent-limited cannabis users, persistent cannabis users (n over age 20 = 456), and abstainers (n over age 20 = 1,567). We examine potential delays in adult transitions, falling into primary domains of education, career, and family structure. The indicators of these domains include; highest level of education, number years of education, finishing high school, university or trade school, or post-undergraduate education, ever employed, job type, income, income source, fulltime employment, relationship status, relationship satisfaction, and number of children. These three groups of cannabis users will be compared to describe the potential consequences of using cannabis as an adolescent, even if usage ceases in adulthood. This sample is drawn from several longitudinal studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, through the Center for Antisocial Drug Dependence samples, and the Colorado Community and Longitudinal Twin Samples.
Brook, J. S., Zhang, C., Leukefeld, C. G., & Brook, D. W. (2016). Marijuana Use from Adolescence to Adulthood: Developmental Trajectories and Their Outcomes. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 51(10), 1405-1415. doi:10.1007/s00127-016-1229-0
Lynskey, M., & Hall, W. (2000). The effects of adolescent cannabis use on educational attainment: a review. Addiction, 95(11), 1621-1630. doi:10.1046/j.1360-0443.2000.951116213.x
Schweinsburg, A. D., Brown, S. A., & Tapert, S. F. (2008). The Influence of Marijuana Use on Neurocognitive Functioning in Adolescents. Current drug abuse reviews, 1(1), 99-111. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pm...
Substance use: Alcohol, Nicotine, Drugs , Cognition: Education, Intelligence, Memory, Attention
