Racial/Ethnic Differences in Prevalence and Correlates of Blunt Smoking among Adolescents

Blunt use is pervasive among adolescents. The study uses cross-sectional data from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to examine sociodemographic, health, and other substance use correlates of current and lifetime blunt use among 12,036 African American, White, and Hispanic/Latino adolescents. Findings revealed that 5.3% of African American, 4.3% of Hispanic/Latino, and 3.8% of White adolescents reported past-30-day blunt use. Age and substance use other than marijuana were consistent correlates of current and lifetime blunt use across all racial/ethnic groups. However, other illicit drug use and alcohol use were differentially associated with lifetime and past-30-day blunt use by race/ethnicity. Gender, family income, lifetime depression, and overall health status were not associated with lifetime or past-30-day blunt use. The link between other substance use and blunt use varies by race/ethnicity among adolescents. Future blunt use prevention and treatment interventions should consider racial/ethnic differences in the association between other substance use and blunt use among African American, White, and Hispanic/Latino adolescents.