Does marijuana use serve as a gateway to cigarette use for high-risk African-American youth?

Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2008;34(6):782-91. doi: 10.1080/00952990802455477.

Abstract

Background/objectives: The purpose of this investigation was to test whether the gateway hypothesis of drug initiation sequencing applies equally well to high-risk African-American and Caucasian youth.

Methods: The study sample (N = 618, mean age = 15.5, SD = 1.2) represented the population of residents in the Missouri Division of Youth Services (DYS) who had initiated marijuana and nicotine use.

Results: As hypothesized, African-American youth were significantly more likely to initiate marijuana use before cigarette use. Over one-third of African Americans reported initiating marijuana before cigarettes (37.9%), compared to less than one-quarter of youth in the other ethnic groups (Caucasian = 17.3%, Latino/Latina = 21.7%, Biracial/Other = 20.8%). Further, multinomial simulation and logistic regression models revealed that African-American youth were significantly more likely than other ethnic groups to initiate marijuana before cigarettes (Adjusted OR = 3.53, CI = 1.92-6.46). CONCLUSIONS/SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Findings suggest that the hypothesized gateway sequence may not apply equally well to African-Americans, and that prevention efforts based on this theory may need to be amended for these youth.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Black or African American / psychology*
  • Data Collection
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Marijuana Abuse / epidemiology
  • Marijuana Abuse / ethnology
  • Marijuana Abuse / psychology*
  • Missouri
  • Racial Groups / psychology
  • Risk-Taking
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Smoking / ethnology
  • Smoking / psychology*
  • United States