Economic Effects of Adolescent to Adult Patterns of Cannabis Use: Full-Time Employment and Employment Stability

• Published in: Journal of drug issues 2020-10, Vol.50 (4), p.579-603
• Main Authors: Bears Augustyn, Megan, Loughran, Thomas, Larroulet, Pilar, Henry, Kimberly L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent development; Age differences; Decriminalization; Drug use; Employment; Labor force participation; Marijuana; Teenagers; Time
• ISSN: 0022-0426; 1945-1369
• DOI: 10.1177/0022042620943538

Research has yet to examine stability in employment as a function of cannabis use once an individual transitions into full-time work. Using data from the Rochester Youth Development Study, trajectories of cannabis use spanning ages 14 to 30 were identified among a sample of predominantly minorities (>80%; 68% African American). After hard-classifying individuals by patterns of cannabis use, probabilities of full-time employment and conditional probabilities of full-time employment were calculated and compared across patterns of use. Abstention or rare cannabis use was associated with a higher likelihood of full-time employment compared with other cannabis use patterns. Full-time employment stability was high for each pattern of cannabis use (>89%) and differences decreased with age and prior periods of employment. The results indicate that patterns of cannabis use spanning adolescence to adulthood have limited impact on the ability to retain full-time employment once employed and are interpreted in light of growing legalization of cannabis use.