Liat Korn1, Denise L Haynie2, Jeremy W Luk3, Kellienne Sita4, Bruce G Simons-Morton5. 1. Senior Lecturer and Head, (Liatk@ariel.ac.il), Health Promotion Track, Department of Health Systems Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ariel University, Kiryat Hamada 4, Ariel, Israel. 2. Staff Scientist, (Denise.Haynie@nih.gov), Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch (SBSB), Division of Intramural Population Health Research (DIPHR), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, 20892-7000, USA. 3. Postdoctoral Fellow, (jeremy.luk@nih.gov), Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch (SBSB), Division of Intramural Population Health Research (DIPHR), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, 20892-7000, USA. 4. Post-baccalaureate Fellow, (kellienne.sita@nih.gov), Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch (SBSB), Division of Intramural Population Health Research (DIPHR), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD, 20892-7000, USA. 5. Senior Investigator, (Mortonb@exchange.nih.gov), Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch (SBSB), Division of Intramural Population Health Research (DIPHR), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 20892-7000, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prevention of early age initiation of cannabis use is a national priority, highlighting the importance of identifying cannabis-specific attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control in relation to initiation age. METHODS: Data were from the NEXT Generation Health Study, a national longitudinal sample of US adolescents followed from 10th grade (N = 1850). Cannabis-specific attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control were assessed at 10th grade. Age of first use was reported retrospectively 2-3 years after high-school and participants were categorized as early initiators (<14 years; 3.8%), high-school (HS) initiators (14-18 years; 35.6%), post-HS initiators (>18 years; 8.3%), or never users (52.3%). RESULTS: Relative to never users, early initiators were more likely to endorse pro-use attitudes (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] = 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27-4.50), less disapproving parental attitudes toward use (AOR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.45-4.28), higher cannabis use among friends (AOR = 3.81, 95% CI = 2.21-6.60), and higher ease of access (AOR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.14-3.87); HS initiators were similarly more likely to report less disapproving attitudes toward use (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.25-1.91), higher cannabis use among friends (AOR = 2.81, 95% CI = 2.18-3.65), and higher ease of access (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.21-2.28). CONCLUSIONS: Earlier cannabis initiation was associated with more favorable cannabis attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, highlight these variables as potential intervention targets.
BACKGROUND: Prevention of early age initiation of cannabis use is a national priority, highlighting the importance of identifying cannabis-specific attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control in relation to initiation age. METHODS: Data were from the NEXT Generation Health Study, a national longitudinal sample of US adolescents followed from 10th grade (N = 1850). Cannabis-specific attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control were assessed at 10th grade. Age of first use was reported retrospectively 2-3 years after high-school and participants were categorized as early initiators (<14 years; 3.8%), high-school (HS) initiators (14-18 years; 35.6%), post-HS initiators (>18 years; 8.3%), or never users (52.3%). RESULTS: Relative to never users, early initiators were more likely to endorse pro-use attitudes (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] = 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27-4.50), less disapproving parental attitudes toward use (AOR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.45-4.28), higher cannabis use among friends (AOR = 3.81, 95% CI = 2.21-6.60), and higher ease of access (AOR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.14-3.87); HS initiators were similarly more likely to report less disapproving attitudes toward use (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.25-1.91), higher cannabis use among friends (AOR = 2.81, 95% CI = 2.18-3.65), and higher ease of access (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.21-2.28). CONCLUSIONS: Earlier cannabis initiation was associated with more favorable cannabis attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, highlight these variables as potential intervention targets.