An Examination of the Age of Substance Use Onset and Adult Severity of Use Among Offenders Entering Treatment

• Published date: 01 April 2019
• Author: Martha Tillson,Justin C. Strickland,Michele Staton,Kevin Pangburn
• Date: 01 April 2019
• DOI: 10.1177/0022042618797307
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0022042618797307

Journal of Drug Issues

2019, Vol. 49(2) 238 –252

© The Author(s) 2018

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DOI: 10.1177/0022042618797307

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Article

An Examination of the Age of

Substance Use Onset and Adult

Severity of Use Among Offenders

Entering Treatment

Martha Tillson1, Michele Staton1,

Justin C. Strickland1, and Kevin Pangburn2

Abstract

Early onset of substance use has demonstrated a robust relationship with later severity of

use, yet this relationship has been less examined in criminal justice contexts or examined

differentially by gender. The present study utilized secondary data from a sample of offenders

in one small Midwestern state entering corrections-based substance abuse treatment in prison,

jail, or community settings to address these gaps in the literature. Findings indicated that age of

regular cigarette use did not uniquely affect severity of illicit drug use in adulthood, defined as

the frequency of use or endorsement of substance use disorder criteria. In comparison, ages of

onset for alcohol and illicit drug use were significantly associated with multiple severity variables

examined. Gender was not found to moderate these relationships. These findings emphasize

that age of use onset for alcohol and illicit drugs can be valuable in identifying offenders at risk

of severe substance use in adulthood.

Keywords

initiation, drug use, substance use severity, offenders, gender

Age of initiation of substance use has emerged as a consistent and robust predictor of later depen-

dence (Behrendt, Wittchen, Höfler, Lieb, & Beesdo, 2009; King & Chassin, 2007; Richmond-

Rakerd et al., 2016; Walters & Urban, 2016). In research examining initiation of use for tobacco

(Hu, Davies, & Kandel, 2006), alcohol (Buchmann et al., 2009; Grant & Dawson, 1997; Hawkins

et al., 1997), cannabis (Lynskey et al., 2003), or other illicit drugs (Grant & Dawson, 1998),

younger age of onset is associated with adult dependence. Earlier age of substance use initiation

has further demonstrated a strong relationship with risky drug-using behaviors, such as intrave-

nous drug use (Tillson, Strickland, & Staton, 2017; Trenz et al., 2012), suggesting that age of

onset is tied to other dimensions of later substance use severity.

The relationship between age of onset of substance use and adult severity of use, although

well documented, is complex. For example, age of initiation of alcohol use has been found to be

1University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA

2Kentucky Department of Corrections, Frankfort, USA

Corresponding Author:

Martha Tillson, Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky, 643 Maxwelton Court, Lexington,

KY 40508, USA.

Email: mdti223@uky.edu

797307JODXXX10.1177/0022042618797307Journal of Drug IssuesTillson et al.

research-article2018