Predictors of cannabis use among first-time justice-involved youth: A cohort study

Background: Justice-involved youth use cannabis at higher rates than their same-aged peers increasing likelihood of adverse behavioral health consequences and continued legal involvement. This study examined individual level predictors of early onset use cannabis use (<13 years of age) and cannabis use initiation in the 12 months following first court contact. Methods: Participants were 391 first-time justice-involved youth (56.9 % male; Mage = 14.6 years; 32.1 % White, 11.1 % Black, 14.7 % Other/Multi-racial, 42.2 % Latinx) and an involved caregiver (87.2 % female; Mage = 41.0 years). Baseline assessments captured individual level factors; cannabis use was assessed every four months postbaseline for 12 months. Primary analyses involved multivariable modified Poisson regressions and survival analysis. Results: In multivariable models, youth who reported lifetime cannabis use (n = 188, 48.1 %) were older, reported alcohol use and positive cannabis use expectancies. Greater self-control and self-concept were associated with lower likelihood of lifetime cannabis use. Youth who initiated cannabis during the 12-month follow-up (n = 30, 14.8 %) tended to be older, White/non-Latinx, and to report more psychiatric symptoms (posttraumatic stress, externalizing, internalizing, and affect dysregulation), delinquent behavior, lower levels of self-control, poorer self-concept, greater drug use intentions and positive cannabis expectancies. In the multivariable survival analysis, affect dysregulation, internalizing symptoms, and more positive cannabis expectancies remained independently and positively associated with cannabis initiation. Conclusions: There is a critical and unique window of opportunity to prevent cannabis use initiation among firsttime justice-involved youth. Research is needed to determine whether brief interventions that aim to modify expectancies about cannabis use reduce rates of cannabis initiation in this underserved population.

Automated summary

The study found that justice-involved youth who start using cannabis early may be associated with older age, being White/non-Latinx, and having more psychiatric symptoms. Youth with better self-control and self-concept are less likely to have lifetime cannabis use, while affect dysregulation, internalizing symptoms, and positive cannabis expectancies are positively associated with cannabis initiation.