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Cited by 38Cannabis and Cannabinoid ResearchSubstance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesYouth, Drugs, and Violence

Investigating how perceived risk and availability of marijuana relate to marijuana use among adolescents in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay over time

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Schleimer, Julia P., Rivera-Aguirre, Ariadne E., Castillo-Carniglia, Alvaro, Laqueur, Hannah S., Rudolph, Kara E., Suárez, Héctor, Ramírez, Jessica, Cadenas, Nora +4 more·2019·Drug and Alcohol Dependence
DOI 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.03.029PMC PMC7075484
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Abstract

Aims Amid changing marijuana policies in the Southern Cone, we examined relationships between marijuana-related risk factors and marijuana use among adolescents in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay from 2001 to 2016. Methods Using cross-sectional surveys from 8 th, 10 th, and 12 th graders and weighted time-varying effect models, we estimated associations between perceived risk (no/low risk versus moderate/great risk) and perceived availability (easy/very easy versus difficult/very difficult/not able to obtain) of marijuana, and any past-month marijuana use. Results In all countries, marijuana use increased over time and adolescents who perceived no/low risk and easy availability had higher odds of use. In Argentina, the bivariate risk/use association weakened from 2001 (OR = 15.24, 95%CI = 9.63, 24.12) to 2004 [OR = 3.86 (2.72, 5.48)] and strengthened until 2011 [OR = 8.22 (7.56, 10.30)]; the availability/use association strengthened from 2005 [OR = 5.32 (4.05, 6.98)] to 2009 [OR = 20.77 (15.57, 27.70)] and weakened until 2014 [OR = 11.00 (9.11, 13.27)]. In Chile, the risk/use association weakened from 2001 [OR = 7.22 (6.57, 7.95)] to 2015 [OR = 5.58 (4.82, 6.48)]; the availability/use association weakened from 2001 [OR = 5.92 (4.96, 7.06)] to 2015 [OR = 4.10 (3.15, 5.34)]. In Uruguay, the risk/use association weakened from 2003 [OR = 34.22 (22.76, 51.46)] to 2016 [OR = 6.23 (4.96, 7.83)]; the availability/use association weakened from 2005 [OR = 29.13 (13.39, 63.39) to 2007 [OR = 9.42 (3.85, 23.07)], and strengthened until 2016 [OR = 22.68 (12.03, 42.76)]. Conclusions Overall, the association between risk and use weakened in all countries, suggesting risk perceptions became a weaker determinant of marijuana use. Perceived availability remained strongly associated with use and may become an increasingly important driver of use (particularly in Uruguay and Argentina).

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  • Adolescents who had high perceived availability of drugs in their neighborhoods were more likely to increase their marijuana usage over time (OR = 11.00, 95% CI 9.11, 13.27).

    “adolescents who had high-perceived availability of drugs in their neighborhoods were more likely to increase their usage of marijuana over time (OR = 11.00, 95% CI 9.11, 13.27) [35].”

    From Risk and protective factors of drug abuse among adolescents: a systematic review (2021) · cites this paper as [35]

    The Abstract Results report the quoted OR and 95% CI for the association between perceived marijuana availability and use in Argentina in 2014. The Abstract Methods describe cross-sectional surveys and past-month use, not an increase in an individual's use over time. The Materials and Methods > Measures section asks how easy marijuana would be to obtain; it does not measure the availability of drugs in respondents' neighborhoods. No page numbers are provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.91)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Adolescents with low or no perceived risk of taking marijuana had a higher risk of abuse (OR = 8.22 times, 95% CI 7.56, 10.30).

    “adolescents with low or no perceived risk of taking marijuana had a higher risk of abuse (OR = 8.22 times, 95% CI 7.56, 10.30) [35].”

    From Risk and protective factors of drug abuse among adolescents: a systematic review (2021) · cites this paper as [35]

    The Results (TVEMs; page not available) report the stated OR and interval for adolescents in Argentina in 2011 who perceived no or low risk. The outcome was past-month marijuana use, not abuse, and the estimate describes odds rather than risk. (LLM, conf=0.90)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Proportions of marijuana usage increased from 9% to 18% after 36 months in child welfare service.

    “It was observed through longitudinal measurements that proportions of marijuana usage increased from 9 to 18% after 36 months in CWS.”

    From Risk and protective factors of drug abuse among adolescents: a systematic review (2021) · cites this paper as [35]

    The Results (Descriptive; page unavailable) say adolescent marijuana use generally increased over time. But the Data Source section describes repeated cross-sectional surveys of secondary-school students in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay—not longitudinal follow-up in child welfare services. The paper does not report an increase from 9% to 18% after 36 months. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Perceived availability of the drug was a stronger determinant for adolescent drug abuse.

    “another study noted that a stronger determinant for adolescent drug abuse was the perceived availability of the drug [35, 57].”

    From Risk and protective factors of drug abuse among adolescents: a systematic review (2021) · cites this paper as [35]

    The Discussion (Availability/Use; page not supplied) reports that perceived marijuana availability was associated with adolescent marijuana use and was at times more strongly associated with use than perceived risk in Argentina and Uruguay. It does not establish availability as a stronger causal determinant across all three countries, or address adolescent drug abuse generally rather than marijuana use. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Schleimer, J. P., Rivera-Aguirre, A. E., Castillo-Carniglia, A., Laqueur, H. S., Rudolph, K. E., Suárez, H., Ramírez, J., Cadenas, N., Somoza, M., Brasesco, M. V., Martins, S. S., & Cerdá, M.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Davis (US)
  • Columbia University (US)
  • NYU Langone Health (US)
Corresponding author
Cerdá, Magdalena
ORCID
Venue
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-08
Volume
201
Pages
115-126
ISSN
0376-8716 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.03.029
PMC
PMC7075484
OpenAlex
W2949491435
Cited by
38
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1
FWCI
2.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Drug and Alcohol Dependence (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA040924-01)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Youth, Drugs, and Violence
Keywords
cannabis use, adolescents, risk perception, perceived availability, drug policy, Southern Cone, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, time-dependent effects, cross-national comparison, cannabis use trends
MeSH terms
Marijuana Use, Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Argentina, Cannabis, Chile, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Risk Factors, Uruguay, Young Adult

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