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Concurrent Use of Alcohol and Cigarettes From Adolescence to Young Adulthood: An Examination of Developmental Trajectories and Outcomes

NCJ Number
210914
Journal
Subatance Use & Misuse Volume: 40 Issue: 8 Dated: 2005 Pages: 1051-1069
Author(s)
Maria Orlando; Joan S. Tucker; Phyllis L. Ellickson; David J. Klein
Date Published
2005
Length
19 pages
Annotation
Adding to the current body of literature, this study examined whether there are different developmental trajectories of concurrent alcohol and tobacco use over the 10-year period from early adolescence to young adulthood and whether different behavioral and health outcomes are associated with these trajectories.
Abstract
Even though evidence that concurrent use of alcohol and cigarettes during adolescence poses a significant risk, little is known about the ways in which patterns of concurrent use develop over time in adolescence, the degree of heterogeneity in these concurrent use patterns, or the long-term consequences of different patterns in terms of behavioral and psychosocial outcomes. Utilizing latent growth mixture modeling, this study identified 5 distinct developmental trajectories of concurrent use of alcohol and tobacco among young adults from ages 13 to 23 in a cohort of 5,873 individuals and compared these distinct groups with respect to demographic characteristics and young adult outcomes. While it was common during adolescence to drink but not smoke, results suggest it is very unusual to smoke and not drink. Those who drank consistently but smoked only occasionally or dramatically decreased their smoking over time, had lower rates of deviance and violence at age 23, and were less likely to have a history of arrest and substance use problems by age 29. These results show the importance of curbing smoking behavior among adolescents before it becomes habitual. Tables, figures, references