TY - JOUR
T1 - Subjective effects to cannabis are associated with use, abuse and dependence after adjusting for genetic and environmental influences
AU - Scherrer, Jeffrey F.
AU - Grant, Julia D.
AU - Duncan, Alexis E.
AU - Sartor, Carolyn E.
AU - Haber, Jon R.
AU - Jacob, Theodore
AU - Bucholz, Kathleen K.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding for this study was provided by NIH grants DA14363, AA11998 and AA13717 and by the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service and the Cooperative Studies Program (Study 992). Dr. Scherrer is also supported by a Career Development Award-2 from the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service. The NIDA, NIAAA and VA HSR&D had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
PY - 2009/11/1
Y1 - 2009/11/1
N2 - Background: Previous reports in adults have suggested that the effects experienced after cannabis use can be described in terms of positive and negative subtypes that are heritable and are associated with abuse and dependence. This study extends existing research by inclusion of adolescents and young adults in an offspring of twins design which makes it possible to take into account genetic and environmental risks for substance use disorder. Methods: Data were collected from 725 twin members of the Vietnam Era Twin Registry, 839 of their 12-32 year old biological offspring and 427 mothers. Offspring who had ever used cannabis (n = 464) were asked the degree to which they typically experienced 13 subjective effects shortly after using cannabis. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to derive subjective effect classes and logistic regression models were computed to test associations between subjective effect class and heavy cannabis use, abuse and dependence after adjusting for familial risk and psychopathology and sociodemographics. Results: The best fitting LCA model included 4 classes of responders which were characterized as 'high responders' (39%), 'positive responders' (28%), 'mixed/relaxed' (22%), and 'low responders' (11%). Compared to low responders, members of other classes were heavier users (OR range 3.0-11.8). Compared to mixed/relaxed responders and positive responders, high responders were more likely to have cannabis abuse and dependence. Conclusions: Subjective reactions to cannabis use are associated with use to heavy use, abuse and dependence in adolescents and young adults. This association exists above and beyond the genetic vulnerability for problem cannabis use.
AB - Background: Previous reports in adults have suggested that the effects experienced after cannabis use can be described in terms of positive and negative subtypes that are heritable and are associated with abuse and dependence. This study extends existing research by inclusion of adolescents and young adults in an offspring of twins design which makes it possible to take into account genetic and environmental risks for substance use disorder. Methods: Data were collected from 725 twin members of the Vietnam Era Twin Registry, 839 of their 12-32 year old biological offspring and 427 mothers. Offspring who had ever used cannabis (n = 464) were asked the degree to which they typically experienced 13 subjective effects shortly after using cannabis. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to derive subjective effect classes and logistic regression models were computed to test associations between subjective effect class and heavy cannabis use, abuse and dependence after adjusting for familial risk and psychopathology and sociodemographics. Results: The best fitting LCA model included 4 classes of responders which were characterized as 'high responders' (39%), 'positive responders' (28%), 'mixed/relaxed' (22%), and 'low responders' (11%). Compared to low responders, members of other classes were heavier users (OR range 3.0-11.8). Compared to mixed/relaxed responders and positive responders, high responders were more likely to have cannabis abuse and dependence. Conclusions: Subjective reactions to cannabis use are associated with use to heavy use, abuse and dependence in adolescents and young adults. This association exists above and beyond the genetic vulnerability for problem cannabis use.
KW - Cannabis
KW - Offspring
KW - Subjective effects
KW - Twin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=69949088087&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.06.014
DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.06.014
M3 - Article
C2 - 19628344
AN - SCOPUS:69949088087
SN - 0376-8716
VL - 105
SP - 76
EP - 82
JO - Drug and Alcohol Dependence
JF - Drug and Alcohol Dependence
IS - 1-2
ER -