Trauma in childhood linked to drug use in adolescence
This is the first study to document these associations in a national sample of adolescents. The research, led by Mailman School of Public Health postdoctoral fellow Hannah Carliner and Associate Professor Silvia S. Martins, MD, PhD, found that childhood trauma experiences before age 11 increased the chances that teens would try marijuana, cocaine, prescription drugs used without a medical reason, other drugs, and multiple drugs. They also showed that a greater number of traumatic experiences were associated with an increase in risk for use of marijuana and other drugs. "Abuse and domestic violence were particularly harmful to children, increasing the chances of all types of drug use in the adolescent years," says Dr. Carliner. "We also found that trauma such as car accidents , natural disasters, and major illness in childhood increased the chances that teens would use marijuana, cocaine, and prescription drugs." Adolescents with a parent who misused alcohol...