PREDICTORS OF CESSATION OF MARIJUANA USE - AN EVENT HISTORY ANALYSIS

Event history analysis was applied to monthly life and drug histories of a representative community sample of 706 marijuana users, followed from ages 15-16 to 34-35, to investigate factors associated viith cess ation of marijuana use from adolescence to adulthood. In addition to a ge and gender, the most important determinants of cessation are the ph enomenology of marijuana use, social role participation, depressive sy mptoms and deviance. Frequent users, those who started using early and those who use illicit drugs other than marijuana are more likely to c ontinue their marijuana use. Using marijuana for social reasons accele rates cessation, using to change one's mood reduces cessation. Becomin g pregnant and a parent is the most important social role leading to m arijuana cessation for women. There is also a very important experimen tal effect of the interview itself on the reported timing of a cessati on. The effect of a social context favorable to marijuana use appears to reflect selection rather than social influence. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.