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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Mian B. Hossain, PhD¹, Shanita W. Wooten, MPH², Keysha Yarber, MPH³, and Sophia R. Jones, MHSA². (1) Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Policy, 343 Jenkins Hall, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251, (2) School of Public Health and Policy, Morga State University, 343 Jenkins Hall, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251, 410 328-5883, mamanof2@a0l.com, (3) School of Public Health and Policy, Morgan State University, 343 Jenkins Hall, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251

Results from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) show 12% of adolescents 12-17 years old used an illicit drug in the past 12 months. Marijuana was the illicit drug used most frequently by youths in the past month (8%). Overall, 55% of all youths aged 12-17 reported it would be fairly or very easy to obtain marijuana. About 32.4% of youths indicated that smoking marijuana once a month was a great risk. Among youths indicating that “smoking marijuana once a month” was a “great risk,” only 1.9 percent indicated that they had smoked marijuana in the past month. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between perceived availability of marijuana and its use by adolescents and also to investigate whether this relationship is being mediated by perceived health risk related to marijuana use one in a month. The data for this research is taken from 2002 NSDUH for youths between 12-17. In addition to univariate and bivariate data analysis, several logistic regression models for examining the relationship between perceived availability and the use of marijuana in the last month and last year are used. Youths who perceived marijuana to be easy to obtain are 7 times more likely to report past month use of marijuana. These relationships are mediated when the perceived health risk related to the marijuana smoking are controlled for. Smoking marijuana by youths once in a month are 3 times more likely to report past month use of marijuana.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants in this session will be able to

• Understand the level of perceived availability and risk of marijuana use by adolescents.
• Understand the relationship between perceived availability and the smoking of marijuana among adolescents.
• Understand mediating effect of perceived risk of smoking marijuana on the relationship between availability of marijuana and its use.

Keywords: Marijuana, Risk Assessment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered