The risks for late adolescence of early adolescent marijuana use

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess the relation of early a dolescent marijuana use to late adolescent problem behaviors, drug-related attitudes, drug problems, and sibling and peer problem behavior. Methods. African American (n = 627) and Puerto Rican (n = 555) youths compl eted questionnaires in their classrooms initially and were individually int erviewed 5 years later. Logistic regression analysis estimated increases in the risk of behaviors or attitudes in late adolescence associated with Ine rt frequent marijuana use in early adolescence, Results. Early adolescent marijuana use increased the risk in late adolesce nce of not graduating from high school: delinquency; having multiple sexual partners, not always using condoms: perceiving drugs as not harmful; havin g problems with cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana; and having more friends who exhibit deviant behavior. These relations were maintained with controls for age, sex, ethnicity, and, when available, earlier psychosocial measure s. Conclusions. Early adolescent marijuana use is related to later adolescent problems that limit the acquisition of sl;ills necessary for employment and heighten the risks of contracting HN and abusing legal and illegal substan ces. Hence, assessments of and treatments for adolescent marijuana use need to be incorporated in clinical practice.