A multilevel analysis identified distinct risk and protective factors that differentiate frequent from non-frequent marijuana use among high school students.
School counselors, prevention program developers, adolescent health researchers, and parents.
Frequent vs non-frequentDistinct multilevel factors differentiate frequent from non-frequent marijuana use among high school youth
What the researchers found
The study identified multilevel factors (individual, peer, family, school, community) that distinguish frequent from non-frequent past-30-day marijuana users among high school youth, revealing that some factors specifically predict frequency rather than just any use.
Why it matters
Most research treats marijuana use as binary (use vs no use), but understanding what drives frequent use specifically can help target prevention efforts at the highest-risk youth.
The numbers in context
Representative sample of high school youth with past-30-day marijuana use data, analyzed at individual, peer, family, school, and community levels.
How the study worked
Cross-sectional survey analysis using multilevel modeling to identify factors associated with frequent vs non-frequent marijuana use.
Who was studied
Representative sample of high school youth in the United States.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design limits causal inference; self-reported data; representative sample may not capture highest-risk youth who are absent or dropped out.
How to read the evidence
Representative sample with multilevel analysis provides strong cross-sectional evidence; causal direction uncertain.
When this study was published
Recent study using contemporary youth substance use data.
The bigger picture
Moving beyond binary use/non-use to understand frequency patterns can help prevention programs focus resources on factors most associated with problematic heavy use rather than experimentation.
Replication
Extends existing binary use research by examining frequency-specific factors; representative sample increases generalizability.
Funding
Not specified
Conflicts of interest
Not specified
Questions still open
- Which protective factors are most modifiable through school programs?
- Do frequency-specific risk factors differ by demographic group?
- Can these factors predict escalation from non-frequent to frequent use?
Read the original research
Multilevel Risk and Protective Factors for Frequent and Nonfrequent Past-30-Day Marijuana Use: Findings From a Representative Sample of High School Youth.
Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 84(4), 508-519
Citation
Lensch, Taylor; Drake, Cara; Clements-Nolle, Kristen; Pearson, Jennifer. (2023). Multilevel Risk and Protective Factors for Frequent and Nonfrequent Past-30-Day Marijuana Use: Findings From a Representative Sample of High School Youth.. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 84(4), 508-519. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.22-00240