Aims: Understanding the range of risk factors and outcomes associated with cannabis use by young people, specifically young teenagers.

Research questions:

(1) What are the health, educational and social harms associated with cannabis use amongst under 18 year olds? To what extent can causality be established?

(2) What are the long-term health and social harms associated with cannabis use amongst young people?

(3) What is the relationship between young people's cannabis use and subsequent drug use and dependency?

(4) Does the amount of cannabis use (frequency or quantity) increase the harms or risk of harm experienced?

(5) Does the age of onset of use increase the harms or risk of harm experienced?

(6) What are the main risk factors for cannabis use and heavy cannabis use amongst young people?

(7) What are the typical trajectories of cannabis use as young people move out of adolescence?

The analysis will use univariate and multivariate methods. The key challenge has been to identify longitudinal datasets that will deliver robust evidence in terms of the scope of the data and the number of cases available.

A literature review and analysis of the Offending, Crime and Justice survey (OCJS) have already been completed. This has provided context and evidence of antecendents and outcomes for three groups: non-canabis users, early cannabis users (first tried cannabis aged 15 or younger) or late cannabis users (first tried cannabis aged 16 or older). Analysing the ALSPAC data is the final strand of the project. It is intended that ALSPAC will provide a more detailed insight into the first two of the three groups listed, more specifically educational, social adjustment and detailed information on cannabis and other substance use (including parental).