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Study of substance initiation finds later average age for cocaine
A data analysis that examined initiation to various substances has found that the lifetime probability of initiation to cocaine is 6.4%, with the age at initiation slightly older than that for marijuana and alcohol on average.
The analysis of data from the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions was published online this month in The American Journal on Addictions. Among individuals who have used cocaine in their lifetime, 50% had used the drug by the age of 19.8 years. The respective ages for this statistic for nicotine, marijuana and alcohol were 15.3, 16.6 and 17.8, the researchers reported.
For all four of the substances examined in the analysis, factors that were found to increase the risk of use included male gender, a family history of a substance use disorder, and prior use of another substance.
The researchers stated that these comparative data could be useful in the development of targeted prevention strategies.
