title: Prenatal marijuana exposure predicts marijuana use in young adulthood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have reported effects of prenatal marijuana exposure (PME) on cognitive and behavioral outcomes. An earlier publication from this study found that PME predicted early onset of marijuana use and frequency of marijuana use at age 14. No study has reported the effects of PME on marijuana use in young adulthood. This is a developmental period when substance use peaks, and by which, initiation of substance use has largely occurred.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were from a longitudinal cohort. Women were interviewed initially in their fourth prenatal month and women and their offspring were followed through 22 years. Significant covariates of offspring marijuana use at 22 years were identified and controlled for using ordinal logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PME predicted marijuana use in the offspring at 22 years after controlling for significant covariates. Prenatal alcohol exposure, offspring race, gender, and age were also significant predictors, but family history of substance abuse or disorder, and sociodemographic and psychological characteristics of the mother and offspring were not. This association was not moderated by gender or race.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PME is associated with subsequent marijuana use in young adulthood after considering the effects of other significant factors. These findings have important implications for public health given the recent trend toward legitimization of marijuana use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. Electronic address: kristen.sonon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kristen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Sonon
authors.affiliation: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: gar@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Gale A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.affiliation: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: jcornel@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Jack R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cornelius
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology in Education, School of Education, 5930 Wesley W. Posvar Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: nday@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Marijuana use in young adults; Prenatal marijuana exposure