title: Examining the relationship between marijuana use, medical marijuana dispensaries, and abusive and neglectful parenting.
abstract: The current study extends previous research by examining whether and how current marijuana use and the physical availability of marijuana are related to child physical abuse, supervisory neglect, or physical neglect by parents while controlling for child, caregiver, and family characteristics in a general population survey in California. Individual level data on marijuana use and abusive and neglectful parenting were collected during a telephone survey of 3,023 respondents living in 50 mid-size cities in California. Medical marijuana dispensaries and delivery services data were obtained via six websites and official city lists. Data were analyzed using negative binomial and linear mixed effects multilevel models with individuals nested within cities. Current marijuana use was positively related to frequency of child physical abuse and negatively related to physical neglect. There was no relationship between supervisory neglect and marijuana use. Density of medical marijuana dispensaries and delivery services was positively related to frequency of physical abuse. As marijuana use becomes more prevalent, those who work with families, including child welfare workers must screen for how marijuana use may affect a parent's ability to provide for care for their children, particularly related to physical abuse.
authors.affiliation: Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles, 3250 Public Affairs Building, Box 951656, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Freisthler
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 180 Grand Avenue, Suite 1200, Oakland, CA 94612-3749, USA.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Gruenewald
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 180 Grand Avenue, Suite 1200, Oakland, CA 94612-3749, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer Price
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D020407:Internet; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D064086:Medical Marijuana / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D064086:Medical Marijuana
keywords: Child Physical abuse; Marijuana availability; Marijuana use; Medical marijuana dispensaries; Physical neglect; Supervisory neglect