A longitudinal study of the effects of adolescent cannabis use on high school completion

Abstract

Objective: To examine the extent to which weekly cannabis use during mid-adolescence may increase the risk of early school-leaving. Setting: A prospective study of a general population sample of adolescents studied from ages 15-21 years in Melbourne, Australia. Method: Computer-assisted self-completion questionnaires and telephone interviews conducted in six waves at ages 15-18 and again at age 21 in a sample of 1601 male and female school students. Results: Weekly cannabis use, assessed prospectively, was associated with significantly increased risk of early school-leaving. This effect remained after adjustment for a range of prospectively assessed covariates including demographic character..