title: Cannabis use among Swedish men in adolescence and the risk of adverse life course outcomes: results from a 20 year-follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine associations between cannabis use in adolescence (at age 18) and unemployment and social welfare assistance in adulthood (at age 40) among Swedish men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 49.321 Swedish men born in 1949-51, who were conscripted to compulsory military service at 18-20 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  All men answered two detailed questionnaires at conscription and were subject to examinations of physical aptitude psychological functioning and medical status. By follow-up in national databases, information on unemployment and social welfare assistance was obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals who used cannabis at high levels in adolescence had increased risk of future unemployment and of receiving social welfare assistance. Adjusted for all confounders (social background, psychological functioning, health behaviours, educational level, psychiatric diagnoses), an increased relative risk (RR) of unemployment remained in the group reporting cannabis use > 50 times [RR = 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-1.53] only. For social welfare assistance, RR in the group reporting cannabis use 1-10 times was 1.15 (95% CI = 1.06-1.26), RR for 11-50 times was 1.21 (95% CI = 1.04-1.42) and RR for > 50 times was 1.38 (95% CI = 1.19-1.62).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heavy cannabis use among Swedish men in late adolescence appears to be associated with unemployment and being in need of social welfare assistance in adulthood. These associations are not explained fully by other health-related, social or behavioural problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna-Karin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Danielsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Falkstedt
authors.affiliation: Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.|Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hemmingsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.|Centre for Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allebeck
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agardh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cannabis; cohort study; education; longitudinal; social welfare assistance; unemployment