title: Longitudinal effects of school drug policies on student marijuana use in Washington State and Victoria, Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the longitudinal effect of schools' drug policies on student marijuana use.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the International Youth Development Study, which surveyed state-representative samples of students from Victoria, Australia, and Washington State. In wave 1 (2002), students in grades 7 and 9 (n = 3264) and a school administrator from each participating school (n = 188) reported on school drug policies. In wave 2 (2003), students reported on their marijuana use. We assessed associations between student-reported and administrator-reported policy and student self-reported marijuana use 1 year later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Likelihood of student marijuana use was higher in schools in which administrators reported using out-of-school suspension and students reported low policy enforcement. Student marijuana use was less likely where students reported receiving abstinence messages at school and students violating school policy were counseled about the dangers of marijuana use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Schools may reduce student marijuana use by delivering abstinence messages, enforcing nonuse policies, and adopting a remedial approach to policy violations rather than use of suspensions.
authors: Tracy J. Evans-Whipp, Stephanie M. Plenty, and John W. Toumbourou are with the Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Tracy J. Evans-Whipp and Stephanie M. Plenty are also with the University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville. John W. Toumbourou is also with the Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing Research and School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria. Richard F. Catalano and Todd I. Herrenkohl are with the Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle.
authors: Tracy J
authors: TJ
authors: Evans-Whipp
authors: Stephanie M
authors: SM
authors: Plenty
authors: Richard F
authors: RF
authors: Catalano
authors: Todd I
authors: TI
authors: Herrenkohl
authors: John W
authors: JW
authors: Toumbourou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016134:Organizational Policy; D012574:Schools / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014739:Victoria; D014861:Washington