Table 1 Characteristics of subjects who reported lifetime cannabis use – full sample and according to former, recent and current use and for those with a cannabis use disorder
Variable | Full sample n = 2979 | Former cannabis use n = 2215 | Recent cannabis use n = 362 | Current cannabis use n = 402 | Cannabis use disordera n = 253 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sex (%) | |||||
Male | 1923 (64.4) | 1361 (61.4) | 247 (68.2) | 316 (78.4) | 207 (81.8) |
Age group (%) | |||||
35+ | 1354 (45.5) | 1180 (53.4) | 84 (23.2) | 90 (22.4) | 38 (15.0) |
25–34 | 1102 (37.1) | 816 (36.9) | 128 (35.4) | 159 (39.6) | 89 (35.2) |
15–24 | 518 (17.4) | 215 (9.7) | 150 (41.4) | 153 (38.1) | 126 (49.8) |
Marital status (%) | |||||
Married/cohabiting | 1642 (55.2) | 1409 (63.7) | 108 (29.9) | 125 (31.0) | 64 (25.3) |
Divorced/separated/widowed | 156 (5.2) | 125 (5.7) | 11 (3.0) | 20 (5.0) | 8 (3.2) |
Single/never married | 1178 (39.6) | 678 (30.7) | 242 (67.0) | 258 (64.0) | 181 (71.5) |
Region (%) | |||||
Dublin (compared to outside Dublin) | 1133 (38.0) | 819 (37.0) | 134 (37.0) | 180 (44.7) | 101 (39.9) |
Education (%) | |||||
Completed third level | 1677 (56.4) | 1327 (60.0) | 179 (49.6) | 171 (42.6) | 86 (34.3) |
Completed secondary | 998 (33.5) | 699 (31.6) | 146 (40.4) | 152 (37.9) | 99 (39.4) |
Primary/none | 299 (10.1) | 185 (8.4) | 36 (10.0) | 78 (19.5) | 66 (26.3) |
Employment (%) | |||||
Employed | 1875 (63.0) | 1517 (68.5) | 179 (49.4) | 180 (44.7) | 101 (39.9) |
Unemployed | 527 (17.7) | 341 (15.4) | 73 (20.2) | 113 (28.0) | 81 (32.0) |
Student | 321 (10.8) | 141 (6.4) | 97 (26.8) | 83 (20.6) | 57 (22.5) |
Other | 256 (8.6) | 215 (9.7) | 13 (3.6) | 27 (6.7) | 14 (5.5) |
Housing tenure (%) | |||||
Owned | 1657 (55.6) | 1379 (62.3) | 165 (45.5) | 113 (28.1) | 75 (29.6) |
Rented | 1033 (34.7) | 687 (31.0) | 144 (39.7) | 203 (50.5) | 118 (46.6) |
Living with family/friends or other | 289 (9.7) | 149 (6.7) | 54 (14.9) | 86 (21.4) | 60 (23.7) |
Other lifetime drug use (%) | |||||
Yes | 1410 (47.3) | 938 (42.3) | 181 (50.0) | 291 (72.2) | 187 (73.9) |
Current alcohol use (%) | |||||
Yes | 2452 (82.4) | 1781 (80.4) | 324 (89.5) | 348 (86.6) | 211 (83.1) |
Current tobacco use (%) | |||||
Yes | 1417 (47.6) | 867 (39.2) | 226 (62.4) | 324 (80.6) | 197 (77.9) |
Age at first use (mean)b | |||||
All subjects | |||||
Alcohol | 15.98 ± 2.2 | 16.19 ± 2.3 | 15.59 ± 1.7 | 15.20 ± 1.8 | 15.15 ± 1.7 |
Tobacco | 15.50 ± 3.3 | 15.62 ± 3.4 | 15.55 ± 2.8 | 14.94 ± 3.1 | 14.75 ± 2.7 |
Cannabis | 19.16 ± 5.0 | 19.66 ± 5.2 | 18.14 ± 4.0 | 17.27 ± 3.6 | 16.84 ± 3.4 |
Subjects aged 15–34 years | |||||
Alcohol | 15.61 ± 1.6 | 15.75 ± 1.6 | 15.47 ± 1.6 | 15.26 ± 1.7 | 15.22 ± 1.7 |
Tobacco | 15.28 ± 2.6 | 15.30 ± 2.7 | 15.48 ± 2.6 | 15.09 ± 2.4 | 14.65 ± 2.5 |
Cannabis | 17.74 ± 2.6 | 18.07 ± 2.6 | 17.48 ± 2.5 | 16.85 ± 2.4 | 16.52 ± 2.5 |
Subjects aged 35+ years | |||||
Alcohol | 16.44 ± 2.7 | 16.58 ± 2.8 | 15.98 ± 2.0 | 14.98 ± 2.2 | 14.78 ± 1.7 |
Tobacco | 15.76 ± 3.9 | 15.89 ± 3.8 | 15.76 ± 3.4 | 14.44 ± 4.9 | 15.25 ± 3.5 |
Cannabis | 20.85 ± 6.4 | 21.06 ± 6.4 | 20.28 ± 6.5 | 18.68 ± 6.0 | 18.59 ± 6.3 |