Hispanic youth marijuana treatment admissions increased from 1995 to 2012, with female admissions rising at greater rates than males, and the trend associated more with school/community referrals than severe drug use.
Read this if you are interested in marijuana treatment trends among Hispanic youth or in ethnic and gender disparities in substance use services.
Hispanic female youth marijuana admissions grew faster than male admissions
What the researchers found
This study tracked trends in Hispanic youth substance abuse treatment admissions for marijuana from 1995 to 2012 using national treatment data.
Hispanic youth marijuana admissions were associated with typical adolescent profiles: ages 15-17, in high school, and living in dependent situations (with parents or guardians).
A notable finding was that female Hispanic youth admissions increased at greater rates than male admissions over the study period. This gender shift suggests changing patterns in how marijuana use among Hispanic girls is detected and referred to treatment.
The results pointed to decreasing tolerance of minor marijuana use by schools and community agencies as a driver of admissions, rather than increasing severity of marijuana problems. This mirrors the broader youth trend of more admissions but less severe drug involvement.
Why it matters
Hispanic youth are an underrepresented group in substance use research. The faster growth in female admissions highlights a potential gap in culturally specific prevention and treatment services for Hispanic girls.
The numbers in context
Data from 1995 to 2012. Admissions associated with ages 15-17, high school enrollment, dependent living. Female admissions increased at greater rates than male.
How the study worked
Analysis of national Treatment Episode Data Set-Admissions (TEDS-A) from SAMHSA examining Hispanic youth marijuana admissions from 1995 to 2012.
What this study cannot tell us
Administrative data cannot capture cultural context, treatment outcomes, or whether treatment was appropriate for the severity level. Hispanic youth are a heterogeneous group encompassing many national origins and acculturation levels. Referral patterns may reflect institutional biases rather than actual use patterns.
How to read the evidence
National administrative data analysis providing descriptive trends. Preliminary because it describes patterns without clinical detail or outcome data.
When this study was published
Published in 2017, covering 1995-2012 data.
The bigger picture
The increasing female admissions among Hispanic youth parallel broader trends in narrowing gender gaps in substance use across the US. Culturally specific and gender-responsive treatment approaches may be needed to serve this growing population effectively.
Questions still open
- What explains the faster increase in Hispanic female admissions? Are culturally specific prevention programs more effective for Hispanic youth? Does the increasing school referral trend reflect genuine concern or zero-tolerance policies?
Common questions
Are more Hispanic teens using marijuana?
Why are more Hispanic girls entering marijuana treatment?
Read the original research
A brief report on Hispanic youth marijuana use: Trends in substance abuse treatment admissions in the United States.
Journal of ethnicity in substance abuse, 16(2), 155-164
Citation
Marzell, Miesha; Sahker, Ethan; Pro, George; Arndt, Stephan. (2017). A brief report on Hispanic youth marijuana use: Trends in substance abuse treatment admissions in the United States.. Journal of ethnicity in substance abuse, 16(2), 155-164. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332640.2015.1108256
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