Among 839 Slovenian students, parental cannabis use was the strongest predictor of youth cannabis use, followed by mothers' specific cannabis rules and authoritative maternal parenting style.
Parents, family counselors, prevention program designers, and school-based intervention teams.
Parental cannabis use: strongest predictor of teen use
What the researchers found
Parental cannabis use was the strongest predictor of youth cannabis use. Strict maternal cannabis-specific rules and maternal authoritative parenting (vs. permissive) significantly reduced likelihood of use. The mother's role was particularly prominent across multiple predictors.
Why it matters
Identifying that parents' own cannabis use is the single strongest predictor gives prevention programs a clear target. The importance of mothers' parenting style and cannabis-specific rules offers actionable intervention strategies.
The numbers in context
839 students, ages 14-21. Strongest predictor: parental cannabis use. Protective factors: maternal authoritative parenting (vs. permissive), strict maternal cannabis-specific rules, parental non-use.
How the study worked
Cross-sectional survey of 839 secondary education students in Slovenia, ages 14-21. Logistic regression examined associations between parenting practices and lifetime cannabis use, controlling for demographics, socioeconomic status, education, health, and risk behaviors.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design. Slovenian context may not generalize. Self-reported data. Did not distinguish between different levels of parental cannabis use. Cultural attitudes toward cannabis in Slovenia may differ from other countries.
How to read the evidence
Moderate-sized cross-sectional study with multivariate controls but limited by self-report and cross-sectional design.
When this study was published
Published in 2022.
The bigger picture
As cannabis legalization spreads, more parents will use cannabis openly. This study suggests that parental modeling is more influential than rules alone, creating a tension for parents who use cannabis but want their children to abstain.
Questions still open
- Can parents who use cannabis effectively prevent their children from using? Do cannabis-specific rules work differently in legalized vs. prohibitionist settings?
Common questions
Does parents' cannabis use influence their kids?
What can parents do to prevent teen cannabis use?
Read the original research
Cannabis Use and Parenting Practices among Young People: The Impact of Parenting Styles, Parental Cannabis-Specific Rules, and Parental Cannabis Use.
International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(13)
Citation
Kokotovič, Karmen Osterc; Pšunder, Mateja; Kirbiš, Andrej. (2022). Cannabis Use and Parenting Practices among Young People: The Impact of Parenting Styles, Parental Cannabis-Specific Rules, and Parental Cannabis Use.. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(13). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19138080
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