NIDA study links younger age of first cannabis or Rx drug misuse with faster development of SUD

A new study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) examining the prevalence of nine substance use disorders (SUD) after first substance use or misuse in young people. Researchers analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and examined the proportion of adolescents and young adults who had a SUD in the past year since the first time they used one of nine different drugs: tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and prescription drugs. Results of the study indicated that the prevalence of past-year cannabis and prescription drug use disorder was higher for adolescents than young adults at all examined time frames since first use of the drug. In addition, results from the study found that 30% of young adults develop a heroin use disorder and 25% develop a methamphetamine use disorder a year after first using the substance.