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Citation
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Fairlie AM, Calhoun BH, Fleming C, Delawalla MLM, Martinez G, Halvorson MA, Rhew IC, Kilmer JR, Guttmannova K. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Copyright
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(Copyright © 2024, Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey) |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: It is unknown whether age-related decreases in substance use (maturing out) are observed in the legalized cannabis context. This study evaluated age-related changes in past-month alcohol use frequency, cannabis use frequency, and any simultaneous alcohol and marijuana/cannabis (SAM) use among young adults who engaged in the respective substance use behavior.
METHOD: Young adults, residing in Washington State at enrollment (N=6,509; 68.3% female; ages 18-25), provided 3-5 years of annual data in a longitudinal, cohort-sequential design from 2015 to 2019, a period after nonmedical cannabis was legalized and implemented. Multilevel growth models were conducted; post-stratification weights were applied to make the sample more similar to the Washington young adult general population in demographic characteristics.
RESULTS: Among those who reported alcohol use at 1+ timepoints, days of alcohol use increased from age 18 to approximately age 25 and then decreased until age 30. Among those who reported cannabis use at 1+ timepoints, days of cannabis use increased from age 18 until approximately age 23 and then decreased until age 30. Among those who reported SAM use at 1+ timepoints, the probability of SAM use increased from age 18 until approximately age 24 and then decreased until age 30. Age-related changes in SAM use were largely explained by concurrent changes in alcohol and cannabis use frequency.
CONCLUSIONS: Maturing out was observed for alcohol, cannabis, and SAM use among those who used each respective substance, with evidence that age-related changes in SAM use were tied to alcohol and cannabis use frequency.
Language: en |