Researchers at the University of Queensland studied 3,008 mothers and their children up to age 21 between 2001 and 2004 as part of the Mater-UQ Study of Pregnancy, one of the world's longest running health studies.
"Our study suggests that exposure to three or more changes in maternal marital status during childhood and early adolescence more than doubles the risk of a child beginning to use cannabis," lead researcher Dr. Reza Hayatbakhsh said.
"More frequent changes in marital status predict greater risk and also the earlier onset of use of cannabis," Hayatbakhsh said.
Hayatbakhsh, from University of Queensland's School of Population Health, said in a news release that almost half of the young adults had used cannabis at some time, about a quarter before the age of 15.
Children who experienced no change in their parents' marital partners between ages five and 14 were less likely to report cannabis use, according to the researchers.
Source: The study results were published in the International Journal of Epidemiology in March 2006. See also Research Australia News Release.
