The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #44210

Jane A Ungemack, DrPH¹, Thomas F. Babor, PhD, MPH², Joseph A. Burleson, PhD¹, and Melissa Sienna³. (1) Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 270 Farmington Avenue, Suite 260, MC 6325, Farmington, CT 06030-6325, (860) 679-5403, ungemack@nso2.uchc.edu, (2) Dept of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6325, (3) Dept. of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, MC6325, Farmington, CT 06030-6325

National data show that marijuana-abusing adolescents are one of the fastest growing segments of the substance abuse treatment population, and most also abuse tobacco and alcohol. There is little available information about whether treatment for one substance abuse problem affects other substances. The current study assesses the effect of marijuana treatment on tobacco and alcohol use among 600 adolescents participating in the Cannabis Youth Treatment (CYT) Study. Baseline and 12-month follow-up interview data were analyzed to test three competing hypotheses: 1) use of alcohol and tobacco is independent of marijuana use following marijuana treatment; 2) levels of alcohol and tobacco use covary with changes in marijuana use; or 3) reductions in marijuana use are associated with increases in alcohol and tobacco use. Logistic regression was used to analyze the change in tobacco and alcohol use across time as a function of level of marijuana use, controlling for gender, age, age of onset (alcohol and cigarettes), ethnicity, internalizing disorders, and externalizing disorders. The results indicate that reductions in marijuana use are significantly associated with reductions in both tobacco (p < .001) and alcohol (p < .001) use, providing strong support for the second hypothesis. Knowledge of the effects of marijuana treatment on alcohol and tobacco use has implications for design of substance abuse interventions, and may contribute to our understanding of the nature of substance dependence among adolescents.

Learning Objectives:

• To learn about the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use among adolescents referred to treatment for problems with marijuana. To learn how treatment for marijuana impacts other substance use behaviors.

Keywords: Adolescents, Marijuana

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.