A new study from the Prevention Research Center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation finds that recreational marijuana legalization may increase the risk of alcohol and marijuana co-use among adolescents.
The study examined the association between recreational marijuana legalization in California in November 2016 and alcohol and marijuana co-use among underage youth. The study is based on data from 7th, 9th, and 11th graders who participated in the statewide California Healthy Kids Survey from 2010–2011 to 2018–2019 school years.
Key findings include:
Study co-author , Dr. Mallie J. Pachall, notes that: “Our study shows that marijuana legalization may increase the risk of alcohol and marijuana co-use among adolescents. To combat this negative public health effect, greater restrictions on the numbers of alcohol and marijuana retail outlets, hours of operation, advertising, as well as imposing higher taxes on alcohol and marijuana products may help reduce their availability to adolescents.”
Source : Paschall, Mallie J., Grisel García-Ramírez, and Joel W. Grube. "Recreational Marijuana Legalization and Co-use With Alcohol Among Adolescents." American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.06.003 Get rights and content
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American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Data/statistical analysis
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Recreational Marijuana Legalization and Co-use With Alcohol Among Adolescents