Pathways into ecstasy use: the role of prior cannabis use and ecstasy availability.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the role of cannabis use for the availability of ecstasy as a potential pathway to subsequent first ecstasy use.


METHODS
Baseline and 4-year follow-up data from a prospective-longitudinal community study of originally 3021 adolescents and young adults aged 14-24 years at baseline were assessed using the standardized M-CIDI and DSM-IV criteria.


RESULTS
Baseline cannabis users reported at follow-up more frequent access to ecstasy than cannabis non-users. Higher cannabis use frequencies were associated with increased ecstasy availability reports. Logistic regression analyses revealed that cannabis use and availability of ecstasy at baseline are predictors for incident ecstasy use during the follow-up period. Testing simultaneously the impact of prior cannabis use and ecstasy availability including potential confounders, the association with cannabis use and later ecstasy use was confirmed (OR=6.3; 95%CI=3.6-10.9). However, the association with ecstasy availability was no longer significant (OR=1.2; 95%CI=0.3-3.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that cannabis use is a powerful risk factor for subsequent first onset of ecstasy use and this relation cannot be sufficiently explained by availability of ecstasy in the observation period.
Zimmermann
Petra
P
Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, Kraepelinstrasse 2, 80804 Munich, Germany. pzimmer@mpipsykl.mpg.de
Wittchen
Hans-Ulrich
HU
Waszak
Florian
F
Nocon
Agnes
A
Höfler
Michael
M
Lieb
Roselind
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D015897:Comorbidity; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000600:supply & distribution; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology
D006213:Hallucinogens; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine