Study suggests lower future success rate in alcohol and marijuana-dependent teens

A study, recently conducted by researchers from Uconn Health, focused on the success rate of achieving future goals in teenagers, who are engaged in alcohol and marijuana use. The data for the research was taken from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) that included about 1165 young adults all across the United States. The sample population was assessed at the age of 12 and the process was iterated at every 2 years until they reached the age of 25 years. The teenagers, who were taken as the sample, were found to have alcoholic family members.

Elizabeth Harari, an author of the study, reported that the consumption of marijuana and alcohol in teenage are adversely linked with the development of teenagers. The kids with regular consumption of marijuana and alcohol are found to be less educated, have fewer chances to get better jobs, and are less likely to get married. These people have lower socio-economic potential.

The research also indicated that the dependence on alcohol and pot products had more severe impact on the young men as they wouldn’t be able to achieve the above-mentioned goals in their life. While the women, who were alcohol and pot product dependent are less likely to get the better education and socio-economic life, they have equal chances to get married and get jobs like those women, who are non-dependent.

Dr. Grace Chan, a statistician at UConn Health Department of Psychiatry, said, “COGA investigators are following many subjects over the years and are using this extensive and growing database to examine several significant research topics.”
The Collaborative study on Genetics of Alcoholism was funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).