Recreational Marijuana Legalization and Adolescent Use of Marijuana, Tobacco, and Alcohol. 2021

Rebekah Levine Coley, and Claudia Kruzik, and Marco Ghiani, and Naoka Carey, and Summer Sherburne Hawkins, and Christopher F Baum
Department of Counseling Developmental, Educational Psychology, Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Electronic address: coleyre@bc.edu.

Given the rapid expansion of recreational marijuana legalization (RML) polices, it is essential to assess whether such policies are associated with shifts in the use of marijuana and other substances, particularly for adolescents, who are uniquely susceptible to negative repercussions of marijuana use. This analysis seeks to provide greater generalizability, specificity, and methodological rigor than limited prior evidence. Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from 47 states from 1999 to 2017 assessed marijuana, alcohol, cigarette, and e-cigarette use among adolescents (14-18+ years; N = 1,077,938). Associations between RML and adolescent past-month substance use were analyzed using quasi-experimental difference-in-differences zero-inflated negative binomial models. Controlling for other state substance policies, year and state fixed effects, and adolescent demographic characteristics, models found that RML was not associated with a significant shift in the likelihood of marijuana use but predicted a small significant decline in the level of marijuana use among users (incidence rate ratio = .844, 95% confidence interval [.720-.989]) and a small increase in the likelihood of any e-cigarette use (odds ratio of zero use = .647, 95% confidence interval [.515-.812]). Patterns did not vary over adolescent age or sex, with minimal differences across racial/ethnic groups. Results suggest minimal short-term effects of RML on adolescent substance use, with small declines in marijuana use and increase in the likelihood of any e-cigarette use. Given the delayed rollout of commercial marijuana sales in RML states and rapid expansion of RML policies, ongoing assessment of the consequences for adolescent substance use and related health and behavioral repercussions is essential.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007880 Legislation, Drug Laws concerned with manufacturing, dispensing, and marketing of drugs. Drug Laws,Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act,Narcotic Laws,Drug Legislation,Drug Law,Law, Drug,Law, Narcotic,Laws, Drug,Laws, Narcotic,Narcotic Law
D008385 Marijuana Smoking Inhaling and exhaling SMOKE from CANNABIS. Cannabis Smoking,Hashish Smoking,Marihuana Smoking,Smoking Blunts,Smoking, Blunts,Blunt, Smoking,Blunts Smoking,Blunts Smokings,Blunts, Smoking,Smoking Blunt,Smoking, Cannabis,Smoking, Hashish,Smoking, Marihuana,Smoking, Marijuana,Smokings, Blunts
D002188 Cannabis The plant genus in the Cannabaceae plant family, Urticales order, Hamamelidae subclass. The flowering tops are called many slang terms including pot, marijuana, hashish, bhang, and ganja. The stem is an important source of hemp fiber. Bhang,Ganja,Hashish,Hemp,Cannabis indica,Cannabis sativa,Hemp Plant,Marihuana,Marijuana,Bhangs,Cannabi,Ganjas,Hashishs,Hemp Plants,Hemps,Plant, Hemp,Plants, Hemp
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D014026 Nicotiana A plant genus of the family SOLANACEAE. Members contain NICOTINE and other biologically active chemicals; the dried leaves of Nicotiana tabacum are used for SMOKING. Tobacco Plant,Nicotiana tabacum,Plant, Tobacco,Plants, Tobacco,Tobacco Plants
D062789 Tobacco Products Substances and products derived from NICOTIANA TABACUM. Cigarettes,Cigars,Bidis,Bidis Tobacco,Cigarillos,Kreteks,Kreteks Tobacco,Pipe Tobacco,Tobacco, Bidi,Bidi,Bidi Tobacco,Bidi Tobaccos,Bidis Tobaccos,Cigar,Cigarette,Cigarillo,Kretek,Kreteks Tobaccos,Pipe Tobaccos,Product, Tobacco,Products, Tobacco,Tobacco Product,Tobacco, Bidis,Tobacco, Kreteks,Tobacco, Pipe,Tobaccos, Bidi,Tobaccos, Bidis,Tobaccos, Kreteks,Tobaccos, Pipe
D066300 Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Devices or objects designed to provide NICOTINE in the form of an inhaled aerosol. E-Cig,E-Cigarette,Electronic Cigarette,Electronic Cigarettes,Electronic Nicotine Delivery System,E-Cigarettes,E-Cigs,Cigarette, Electronic,Cigarettes, Electronic,E Cig,E Cigarette,E Cigarettes,E Cigs

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