BC Council for Families

Experimenting with alcohol is often seen as a normal part of Canadian adolescence. However, a study recently released from BC's McCreary Centre Society cautions that the timing of teens' first alcohol or drug use can affect their current and future health.

The report, What a Difference a Year Can Make: Early alcohol and marijuana use among 16 to 18 year old BC students, points out that early alcohol and marijuana use is associated with a range of health and social problems, including problem drinking, alcohol-related violence, mental health problems, early sexual activity, and a greater risk of criminal justice involvement.

What are the factors that put youth at risk of early substance use? According to the McCreary report, youth in government care, youth living in poverty, youth who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, or who have family or friends who have attempted or committed suicide, were likely to start drinking or using marijuana earlier than their peers.

The chief protective factor associated with delayed use of alcohol and marijuana? Family connectedness.

Report authors noted that, "As might be expected, youth who were most highly connected to their families were more likely to delay alcohol or marijuana use." They found that:

• 74% of youth who began using marijuana at age 15 or older had an adult family member they could confide in, compared to 65% of those who began using marijuana at age 12 or younger.

The full study can be accessed at the McCreary Society website: www.mcs.bc.ca

For information on how parents can enhance protective factors in young people's lives, find out more about the My Tween and Me parenting program, developed by the BC Council for Families.