Research shows that for teens ages 12-17, all substance use is related.
This means teens that have used any one substance -- alcohol, marijuana, or nicotine -- in the last month are more likely to have used the other two, and other illicit drugs, compared to their peers that have not used any substances. In other words, when you hear “it’s just a little weed” or “it’s just a little bit of beer” you should be concerned. This pattern holds true for alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine.
The graph at right shows data from a smaller study of individuals who recently initiated marijuana use (within 2 years) and had marijuana use disorder. For those who initiated at age 13, the rate of marijuana use disorder was 17%. By contrast, for those who initiated at age 21 or older, the rate of marijuana use disorder was 4%.
The following graph was created from a study, conducted by the Institute for Behavior and Health, using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (17,000 youth aged 12-17 in the US). Overall very few youth who did not use marijuana reported using other substances. By contrast, youth who used any marijuana (even once) were significantly more likely to have used other substances.
The left half of the slide show is people who DID NOT use any marijuana in the past month. Among youth who DID NOT use marijuana in the past month:
8.0% used alcohol
3.5% engaged in binge drinking
0.4% engaged in heavy alcohol use
2.7% used cigarettes
2.2% used other illicit drugs
The right half of the slide is students who DID use marijuana in the past month. By comparison, among youth who DID use marijuana in the past month:
44.6% used alcohol
27.5% engaged in binge drinking
5.9% engaged in heavy drinking
23.6% used cigarettes
21.7% used other illicit drugs
