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Children more likely to use substances if their parents use cannabis
Parental marijuana use was associated with increased risk for substance use among adolescent and young adult children living in the same household, according to results from a cross-sectional study published in JAMA.
“Several fathers have confided in me that they used marijuana to bond with their sons,” Bertha K. Madras, PhD, professor in the department of psychiatry at Harvard University’s McLean Hospital, told Healio. “They became horrified after witnessing their sons progress to using other drugs, especially heroin. In general, living with a parent using substances or having substance use disorders is an explicit risk for use of substances among young offspring.”
Madras and colleagues examined that relationship in 24,900 father-offspring or mother-offspring dyads using data from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health from 2015 through 2018.
According to the researchers, 8.2% (95% CI, 7.3%-9.2%) of mothers and 9.6% (95% CI, 8.5%-10.8%) of fathers living with their adolescents had past-year marijuana use. Among mothers living with young adult children, 7.6% (95% CI, 6.2%-9.2%) had past-year marijuana use, whereas 9% (95% CI, 7.4%-10.9%) of fathers living with their young adult children showed past-year marijuana use. Categories of marijuana use included never used, lifetime use but not in the past year, less than 52 days of use in the past year and greater than or equal to 52 days of use in the past year.
The adjusted RR of past-year marijuana use was higher among adolescents whose mothers had lifetime marijuana use (aRR = 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6), fewer than 52 days of past-year marijuana use (aRR = 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.7) or 52 days or more of past-year marijuana use (aRR =1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-2.2) compared with adolescents whose mothers never used marijuana. Similarly, adolescents whose fathers had fewer than 52 days of past-year marijuana use were more likely to use marijuana (aRR =1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.7) compared with adolescents whose fathers never used marijuana. Young adults whose fathers had 52 days or more of past-year marijuana use were also more likely to use marijuana (aRR =2.1; 95% CI, 1.6-2.9) than young adults whose fathers never used marijuana.
Additionally, the risk for past-year tobacco use was higher among adolescents with mothers who had lifetime marijuana use (aRR = 1.3; 95% CI, 1-1.6), fewer than 52 days of past-year marijuana use (aRR =1.5; 95% CI, 1-2.1) or 52 days or more of past-year marijuana use (aRR = 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.7).
Compared with adolescents whose parents had no past marijuana use, the risk for past-year alcohol use was also higher among adolescents with mothers who had lifetime marijuana use (ARR = 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.4).
After adjusting for covariates, the researchers said they found no association between marijuana use among parents and opioid misuse among their children.
“Even if a parent reported lifetime marijuana use but not in the past year, substance use among offspring was generally higher than among children whose parents had never used marijuana,” Madras said.
Madras emphasized that drug use at home is a risk for children.
“If parents affirm substance use during pediatric visits, they should be counseled on the risks it poses for offspring.” – by Eamon Dreisbach
Disclosures: Madras reports serving as a speaker for Speakers for Change, which arranges speaking engagements on addiction biology. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
