The relationship between marijuana initiation and dropping out of high school
Abstract
The prevalence of marijuana use among young people has risen rapidly in recent years, causing concern over the potential impact on academic performance of such use. While recent studies have examined the effect of alcohol use on educational attainment, they have largely ignored the potential negative effects of other substances, such as marijuana. This paper examines whether the relationship between the initiation of marijuana use and the decision to drop out of high school varies with the age of dropout or with multiple substance use. Data are from a longitudinal survey of 1392 adolescents aged 16-18 years. The results suggest that marijuana initiation is positively related to dropping out of high school. Although the magnitude and significance of this relationship varies with age of dropout and with other substances used, it is concluded that the effect of marijuana initiation on the probability of subsequent high school dropout is relatively stable, with marijuana users' odds of dropping out being about 2.3 times that of non-users. Implications of these conclusions are considered for both policy makers and researchers. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Download Info
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Bibliographic Info
Article provided by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. in its journal Health Economics.
Volume (Year): 9 (2000)
Issue (Month): 1 ()
Pages: 9-18
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Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:9:y:2000:i:1:p:9-18
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Web page: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/5749
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- Cook, Philip J. & Moore, Michael J., 1993. "Drinking and schooling," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 411-429, December.
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- Angrist, Joshua D & Krueger, Alan B, 1995. "Split-Sample Instrumental Variables Estimates of the Return to Schooling," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 13(2), pages 225-35, April.
- Robert Kaestner, 1994. "New estimates of the effect of marijuana and cocaine use on wages," Industrial and Labor Relations Review, ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 47(3), pages 454-470, April.
- Thomas S. Dee & William N. Evans, 1997. "Teen Drinking and Education Attainment: Evidence From Two-Sample Instrumental Variables (TSIV) Estimates," NBER Working Papers 6082, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Zarkin, Gary A. & French, Michael T. & Mroz, Thomas & Bray, Jeremy W., 1998. "Alcohol use and wages: New results from the national household survey on drug abuse," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 53-68, January.
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Citations
Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.Cited by:
- van Ours, Jan C & Williams, Jenny, 2007.
"Why Parents Worry: Initiation into Cannabis Use by Youth and their Educational Attainment,"
CEPR Discussion Papers
6449, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- van Ours, Jan C. & Williams, Jenny, 2009. "Why parents worry: Initiation into cannabis use by youth and their educational attainment," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 132-142, January.
- Ours, J.C. van & Williams, J., 2007. "Why Parents Worry: Initiation into Cannabis use by Youth and their Educational Attainment," Discussion Paper 2007-60, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
- Jan C. van Ours & Jenny Williams, 2007. "Why Parents Worry: Initiation into Cannabis Use by Youth and their Educational Attainment," Department of Economics - Working Papers Series 1013, The University of Melbourne.
- Pinka Chatterji, 2006.
"Illicit drug use and educational attainment,"
Health Economics,
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(5), pages 489-511.
- Pinka Chatterji, 2003. "Illicit Drug Use and Educational Attainment," NBER Working Papers 10045, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Daniel F. McCaffrey & Rosalie Liccardo Pacula & Bing Han & Phyllis Ellickson, 2010. "Marijuana use and high school dropout: the influence of unobservables," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(11), pages 1281-1299.
- Rosalie Liccardo Pacula & Michael Grossman & Frank J. Chaloupka & Patrick M. O’Malley & Lloyd D. Johnston & Matthew C. Farrelly, 2001.
"Marijuana and Youth,"
NBER Chapters,
in: Risky Behavior among Youths: An Economic Analysis, pages 271-326
National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- R. L. Pacula & M. Grossman & F. J. Chaloupka & P. M. O'Malley & L. Johnston & M. C. Farrelly, 2000. "Marijuana and Youth," NBER Working Papers 7703, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Lionel Perini & Joachim Marti, 2011. "Substance use and high school academic performance," IRENE Working Papers 11-04, IRENE Institute of Economic Research.
- Rosa Duarte & José Escario & José Molina, 2005. "Participation and Consumption of Illegal Drugs among Adolescents," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 399-415, November.
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