Lopez Mendez M, Ospina Escobar AM, Iskandar R, Alarid-Escudero F. Age-Specific Rates of Onset of Cannabis Use in Mexico. Addictive Behaviors, 2021;122(107038):1-8.
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Abstract
Background
Over the previous two decades, the lifetime prevalence of cannabis use has risen among Mexico’s population.
Methods
Time-to-event flexible-parametric models with spline specifications of the hazard function. Stratified analysis by sex and control for temporal trends by year of data collection or decennial birth cohort.
Results
Age-specific rates of onset of cannabis use per 1,000 individuals increased over time for females and males. Peak rates of onset of cannabis use per 1,000 ranged from 0.935 (95%CI = [0.772, 1.148]) in 1998, to 5.391 (95%CI = [4.924, 5.971]) in 2016 for females; and from 7.513 (95%CI = [6.732, 10.063]) in 1998, to 26.107 (95%CI = [25.918,30.654]) in 2016 for males. Across decennial birth-cohorts, peak rates of onset of cannabis use per 1,000 individuals for females ranged from 0.234 (95%CI = [0.078, 0.768]) for those born in the 1930s, to 14.611 (95%CI = [13.243, 16.102]) for those born in the 1990s; and for males, from 4.086 (95%CI = [4.022, 7.857]) for those born in the 1930s, to 38.693 (95%CI = [24.847, 48.670]) for those born in the 1990s.
Conclusions
Rates of onset of cannabis increased over the previous two decades for both females and males but remained higher for males. Across recent cohorts, the rates of onset have increased at a faster rate among females than males.