TY - JOUR
T1 - Persistent Cannabis Dependence and Alcohol Dependence Represent Risks for Midlife Economic and Social Problems
T2 - A Longitudinal Cohort Study
AU - Cerdá, Magdalena
AU - Moffitt, Terrie E.
AU - Meier, Madeline
AU - Harrington, Hona Lee
AU - Houts, Renate
AU - Ramrakha, Sandhya
AU - Hogan, Sean
AU - Poulton, Richie
AU - Caspi, Avshalom
PY - 2016/11/1
Y1 - 2016/11/1
N2 - With the increasing legalization of cannabis, understanding the consequences of cannabis use is particularly timely. We examined the association between cannabis use and dependence, prospectively assessed between ages 18 and 38, and economic and social problems at age 38. We studied participants in the Dunedin Longitudinal Study, a cohort (N = 1,037) followed from birth to age 38. Study members with regular cannabis use and persistent dependence experienced downward socioeconomic mobility, more financial difficulties, workplace problems, and relationship conflict in early midlife. Cannabis dependence was not linked to traffic-related convictions. Associations were not explained by socioeconomic adversity, childhood psychopathology, achievement orientation, or family structure; cannabis-related criminal convictions; early onset of cannabis dependence; or comorbid substance dependence. Cannabis dependence was associated with more financial difficulties than was alcohol dependence; no difference was found in risks for other economic or social problems. Cannabis dependence is not associated with fewer harmful economic and social problems than alcohol dependence.
AB - With the increasing legalization of cannabis, understanding the consequences of cannabis use is particularly timely. We examined the association between cannabis use and dependence, prospectively assessed between ages 18 and 38, and economic and social problems at age 38. We studied participants in the Dunedin Longitudinal Study, a cohort (N = 1,037) followed from birth to age 38. Study members with regular cannabis use and persistent dependence experienced downward socioeconomic mobility, more financial difficulties, workplace problems, and relationship conflict in early midlife. Cannabis dependence was not linked to traffic-related convictions. Associations were not explained by socioeconomic adversity, childhood psychopathology, achievement orientation, or family structure; cannabis-related criminal convictions; early onset of cannabis dependence; or comorbid substance dependence. Cannabis dependence was associated with more financial difficulties than was alcohol dependence; no difference was found in risks for other economic or social problems. Cannabis dependence is not associated with fewer harmful economic and social problems than alcohol dependence.
KW - adult development
KW - antisocial behavior
KW - cannabis
KW - drug/substance abuse
KW - epidemiology
KW - longitudinal methods
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85009231265&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85009231265&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/2167702616630958
DO - 10.1177/2167702616630958
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85009231265
VL - 4
SP - 1028
EP - 1046
JO - Clinical Psychological Science
JF - Clinical Psychological Science
SN - 2167-7026
IS - 6
ER -