Among over 25,000 high school students, marijuana use was associated with approximately twice the odds of both gambling and gambling problems, alongside alcohol and prescription drug misuse.
Read this if you are interested in how marijuana use relates to other risky behaviors like gambling in teenagers.
Marijuana use: approximately 2x odds of gambling among high school students
What the researchers found
In a study of 25,456 students across 58 Maryland high schools, one-third reported lifetime gambling and 10% experienced gambling problems (31% of gamblers). Being male and using alcohol, marijuana, and non-medical prescription drugs were each associated with approximately twice the odds of gambling.
Among those who gambled, being male, African American, and using cigarettes, marijuana, and prescription drugs were associated with higher odds of gambling problems specifically. School-level factors (suspension rates, demographics) showed minimal associations with gambling.
The co-occurrence of substance use and gambling among adolescents suggests these behaviors share common risk factors and may benefit from integrated prevention approaches.
Why it matters
Gambling and substance use often cluster together in adolescents, yet prevention programs typically target them separately. Understanding their co-occurrence at the student and school level can inform more efficient prevention strategies.
The numbers in context
25,456 students in 58 schools. 33% lifetime gambling. 10% gambling problems. Marijuana use: approximately 2x odds of gambling. Alcohol: approximately 2x odds. School-level factors showed minimal effects.
How the study worked
Multilevel analysis of data from 25,456 students in 58 high schools participating in the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools Initiative. Youth-reported demographics, gambling, and substance use were examined using weighted multilevel models.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design. Self-reported gambling and substance use. Cannot determine whether substance use leads to gambling or vice versa. Maryland-specific findings may not generalize.
How to read the evidence
Large multilevel study with adequate statistical methods, though cross-sectional design limits causal conclusions.
When this study was published
Published in 2014.
The bigger picture
The finding that substance use predicted gambling more than school-level factors suggests that individual risk factors (or shared individual vulnerabilities) are more important than environmental context for gambling involvement among high schoolers.
Questions still open
- Do shared genetic or personality factors underlie both gambling and marijuana use in teens? Would substance use prevention programs also reduce gambling? Does marijuana use specifically impair decision-making in ways that increase gambling risk?
Common questions
Is marijuana use linked to gambling in teenagers?
Why do substance use and gambling co-occur in teens?
Read the original research
Examining potential school contextual influences on gambling among high school youth.
The American journal on addictions, 23(5), 510-7
Citation
Lee, Grace P; Martins, Silvia S; Pas, Elise T; Bradshaw, Catherine P. (2014). Examining potential school contextual influences on gambling among high school youth.. The American journal on addictions, 23(5), 510-7. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1521-0391.2014.12142.x
Explore the wider topic
- How to Talk to Your Teenager About Weed (Without Losing Them)
- My Kid's Friends Smoke Weed: A Parent's Guide
- I Smoke Weed But Don't Want My Kids To: Navigating the Hypocrisy
- Quitting Weed as a Parent: Why It Is the Hardest and Most Important Quit
- Quitting Weed as a Teen or Young Adult
- My Kid Is Smoking Weed: A Parent's Guide