Social and Environmental Factors That Predict When Youth First Try Alcohol vs. Cannabis
In 387 adolescents followed over time, social and home environment factors predicted substance initiation differently for alcohol vs. cannabis, with family history of addiction moderating these effects.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Protective and risk factors for first substance use were not universal — they differed between alcohol and cannabis initiation, and family history of substance use disorder moderated which environmental factors mattered most.
Key Numbers
387 adolescents followed longitudinally, examining alcohol use initiation (AUI) and cannabis use initiation (CUI) separately.
How They Did This
Longitudinal cohort study following 387 adolescents, examining social and local-home environmental predictors of alcohol and cannabis use initiation, with family history of SUD as a moderating variable.
Why This Research Matters
Prevention programs often treat all substance initiation the same. This study shows that different factors predict alcohol vs. cannabis initiation, suggesting prevention efforts should be tailored rather than generic.
The Bigger Picture
One-size-fits-all substance prevention rarely works. Understanding which specific environmental factors drive cannabis vs. alcohol initiation — and how family history changes the equation — can make prevention more effective.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Moderate sample size of 387. Specific demographic composition may limit generalizability. Self-reported substance initiation may be subject to recall or social desirability bias.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should schools implement separate prevention strategies for alcohol vs. cannabis?
- ?How can family history be incorporated into targeted prevention without stigmatizing youth?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Longitudinal design with appropriate moderator analysis — stronger than cross-sectional but moderate sample limits statistical power.
- Study Age:
- Recent longitudinal analysis addressing the important distinction between alcohol and cannabis initiation pathways in youth.
- Original Title:
- Social and Environmental Predictors of Youth Alcohol and Cannabis Initiation Risk: The Moderating Role of Family History of Substance Use Disorders.
- Published In:
- Substance use & misuse, 60(3), 403-413 (2025)
- Authors:
- Wood, Erin E, Liang, Yuanyuan, Moon, Tae-Joon, Hill-Kapturczak, Nathalie, Wasserman, Alexander M, Roache, John D, Mathias, Charles W, Blumenthal, Heidemarie, Dougherty, Donald M
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07971
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the same factors predict alcohol and cannabis use in teens?
No — this study found that risk and protective factors differed between alcohol and cannabis initiation, suggesting these are distinct pathways requiring different prevention approaches.
Does having a family history of addiction increase risk?
Family history of substance use disorder moderated the effects, meaning it changed which environmental factors were most important for predicting a teen's substance use initiation.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07971APA
Wood, Erin E; Liang, Yuanyuan; Moon, Tae-Joon; Hill-Kapturczak, Nathalie; Wasserman, Alexander M; Roache, John D; Mathias, Charles W; Blumenthal, Heidemarie; Dougherty, Donald M. (2025). Social and Environmental Predictors of Youth Alcohol and Cannabis Initiation Risk: The Moderating Role of Family History of Substance Use Disorders.. Substance use & misuse, 60(3), 403-413. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2024.2434007
MLA
Wood, Erin E, et al. "Social and Environmental Predictors of Youth Alcohol and Cannabis Initiation Risk: The Moderating Role of Family History of Substance Use Disorders.." Substance use & misuse, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2024.2434007
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Social and Environmental Predictors of Youth Alcohol and Can..." RTHC-07971. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/wood-2025-social-and-environmental-predictors
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.