Elk Grove Village, IL—(ENEWSPF)—October 6, 2015. What adolescents as young as 12 years old think about marijuana can determine their likelihood of driving under the influence (DUI) and riding with a drinking driver once they get to high school, according to a study in the November 2015 issue of Pediatrics (published online Oct. 5).
The study, “Early Substance Use and Subsequent DUI in Adolescents” followed 1,189 students from 16 middle schools in the greater Los Angeles area between 2009 and 2013. Beginning at age 12, and then again at ages 14 and 16, students were asked about their use of and beliefs about alcohol and marijuana. Among the 12-year-olds, the only statistically significant predictors of DUI and riding with a drinking driver once they turned 16 were positive beliefs about marijuana and stronger confidence in their ability to resist marijuana use. By age 14, past-month alcohol use (compared to no alcohol or marijuana use), positive beliefs about marijuana, peer factors (perceived prevalence of alcohol use and exposure to peer marijuana use) and family marijuana use were statistically significant predictors of DUI in high school.
The authors write that as legalization efforts lead youths to view marijuana in a more positive light, there is a growing need to target adolescents as young as sixth grade to help prevent DUI in high school.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 64,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. (www.aap.org)
Source: www.aap.org
