Predictors of Early Teen THC Use

Very compelling new data from the longitudinal ABCD study was just published in JAMA Pediatrics on the factors that predict early adolescent THC use.  The full odds table is above - here are my thoughts on what I feel are the the most important points.

 Prenatal cannabis exposure was the strongest predictor, with an odds ratio of 2.6x versus kids who were not exposed.  There is a huge amount of misinformation around THC and pregnancy right now – depending on the study and questions asked, 25-33% of women aren’t aware of the myriad risks.  Here’s a recent study outlining this. I also published my own roundup of data on THC and pregnancy on this blog here.

Experiencing depressive symptoms were the next strongest predictive cluster, with ~2x increased odds.  There are lots of implications here related to the impact of Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) and the need for proactive coping skills training.  Depression rates (and suicide attempts) are shockingly high among teens right now are very high – here’s the recent data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey:

Ease of access for cannabis was significant predictive factor, at ~1.75x.  This speaks to issues previously raised about the need for location restrictions for cannabis dispensaries – here’s two examples of the impact: Study 1 | Study 2

The number of a child’s friends who use THC was a 1.35x risk factor, and peer acceptance of THC use was also significant.  You can’t understate the impact of how the peer culture surrounding a teen impacts behavior.

On the flip side, perception of harmfulness of THC use was protective against early adolescent use, with reduced odds by around 20%.  While scare tactics aren’t a useful approach, it’s critical to educate teens about the actual impact that THC has on the developing mind.  The truth can be unnerving enough on its own, and knowledge empowers teens to make their own decisions.