Live Poster Session: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/96843343663
Nolan Samson
Nolan Samson is a junior at Wesleyan University majoring in Economics and Government, with a strong interest in data-driven analysis and the sports industry. He is passionate about applying analytical insights to real-world problems, particularly in areas like business strategy, marketing, and athlete representation.
Abstract: This study examines the association between alcohol use and marijuana use among adolescents using data from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES), a nationally representative sample of 7,705 U.S. high school students. Alcohol consumption is measured through age of first use, frequency of drinking in the past 30 days, and intensity of drinking behavior, while marijuana use is captured through lifetime use and age of initiation. Descriptive statistics and statistical analysis are used to evaluate patterns of co-occurrence between these substances. The results suggest that adolescents who initiate alcohol use at younger ages and report higher frequencies of alcohol consumption are more likely to also report marijuana use and earlier marijuana initiation, indicating a strong positive association between these behaviors and supporting the idea that the substances function as complements rather than substitutes among adolescents. However, due to the observational and self-reported nature of the data, this study does not establish a causal relationship; instead, it highlights patterns of co-occurring substance use and underscores the importance of early interventions targeting alcohol use to potentially reduce broader substance use among adolescents.
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