Acolin Jessica, Calhoun Brian, Rhew Isaac C, Fleming Charles B, Hultgren Brittney, Martinez Griselda, Kilmer Jason R, Larimer Mary, Guttmannova Katarina
Center for the Study of Health and Risk Behaviors, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Box 357238, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
Prev Sci. 2025 May 27. doi: 10.1007/s11121-025-01813-y.
Alcohol and cannabis are the two most commonly used substances in young adulthood. Prior evidence shows that while risky alcohol use peaks in the mid-20 s and decreases by the end of young adulthood (i.e., "maturing out"), cannabis use prevalence decreases gradually across young adulthood. As the landscape of cannabis legalization in the USA evolves, it is critical to assess changes in young adult patterns of use. This study examined developmental patterns of young adult cannabis and alcohol use in Washington State (WA). Annual repeated cross-sectional survey data from 2015 to 2022 were collected from 15,371 young adults 18-25 living in WA. Logistic regression models examined changes in alcohol (any past month use, frequent use, heavy episodic drinking [HED]) and cannabis (any past month use, frequent use) by developmental age and birth cohort. Cannabis use prevalence was higher at age 21-22 compared to age 18-20, a departure from prior studies. In more recent birth cohorts, prevalence among 23-25-year-olds was lower than among 21-22-year-olds, suggesting an emerging pattern of maturing out. Additionally, there was a significant moderation of developmental patterns of risky (HED and frequent) alcohol use by birth cohort. As cannabis legalization continues to evolve, it is critical for programs to prioritize early prevention prior to and at age 21 to mitigate and prevent associated adverse health outcomes of cannabis use. Continued surveillance including older age groups is needed to characterize changing developmental patterns of young adult cannabis use.
酒精和大麻是青年时期最常用的两种物质。先前的证据表明，虽然危险饮酒在25岁左右达到峰值，并在青年时期结束时下降（即“成熟戒断”），但大麻使用流行率在整个青年时期逐渐下降。随着美国大麻合法化格局的演变，评估青年成人使用模式的变化至关重要。本研究调查了华盛顿州（WA）青年成人使用大麻和酒精的发展模式。收集了2015年至2022年来自华盛顿州15371名18至25岁青年成人的年度重复横断面调查数据。逻辑回归模型按发育年龄和出生队列研究了酒精（过去一个月内任何使用情况、频繁使用、大量饮酒[HED]）和大麻（过去一个月内任何使用情况、频繁使用）的变化。与18至20岁相比，21至22岁时大麻使用流行率更高，这与先前的研究不同。在最近出生的队列中，23至25岁人群的流行率低于21至22岁人群，这表明出现了成熟戒断的模式。此外，出生队列对危险（大量饮酒和频繁饮酒）酒精使用的发展模式有显著的调节作用。随着大麻合法化的不断演变，各项目必须优先在21岁之前及21岁时进行早期预防，以减轻和预防大麻使用相关的不良健康后果。需要继续对包括年龄较大群体在内的人群进行监测，以描述青年成人使用大麻不断变化的发展模式。
