Hallucinogen-related disorders in a national sample of adolescents: the influence of ecstasy/MDMA use.
Abstract
To present the prevalence and correlates of hallucinogen use disorders (HUDs: abuse
or dependence) and subthreshold dependence.The study sample included adolescents aged
12-17 years (N=55,286) who participated in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health
(2004-2006). Data were collected with a combination of computer-assisted personal
interviewing and audio computer-assisted self-interviewing.The overall prevalence
of HUDs among adolescents was low (<1%). However, more than one in three (38.5%) MDMA
users and nearly one in four (24.1%) users of other hallucinogens reported HUD symptoms.
MDMA users were more likely than users of other hallucinogens to meet criteria for
hallucinogen dependence: 11% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.24-14.81) vs. 3.5% (95%
CI: 2.22-5.43). Compared with hallucinogen use only, subthreshold dependence was associated
with being female (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.8 [95% CI: 1.08-2.89]), ages 12-13
years (AOR=3.4 [1.64-7.09]), use of hallucinogens > or = 52 days (AOR=2.4 [1.66-6.92]),
and alcohol use disorder (AOR=1.8 [1.21-2.77]). Compared with subthreshold dependence,
abuse was associated with mental health service use (AOR=1.7 [1.00-3.00]) and opioid
use disorder (AOR=4.9 [1.99-12.12]); dependence was associated with MDMA use (AOR=2.2
[1.05-4.77]), mental health service use (AOR=2.9 [1.34-6.06]), and opioid use disorder
(AOR=2.6 [1.01-6.90]). MDMA users had a higher prevalence of most other substance
use disorders than users of non-hallucinogen drugs.Adolescent MDMA users appear to
be particularly at risk for exhibiting hallucinogen dependence and other substance
use disorders.
Type
Journal articleSubject
HumansSubstance-Related Disorders
N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine
Hallucinogens
Mental Health
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Crime
Socioeconomic Factors
Students
Adolescent
Child
Ethnic Groups
United States
Female
Male
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/20003Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.04.014Publication Info
Wu, Li-Tzy; Ringwalt, Christopher L; Weiss, Roger D; & Blazer, Dan G (2009). Hallucinogen-related disorders in a national sample of adolescents: the influence
of ecstasy/MDMA use. Drug and alcohol dependence, 104(1-2). pp. 156-166. 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.04.014. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/20003.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
Collections
More Info
Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Daniel German Blazer
J. P. Gibbons Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry
I am currently semi-retired. Most of my recent work has been focused on roles with
the National Academy of Medicine (former Institute of Medicine). I have chaired three
committees during the past four years, one on the mental health and substance use workforce,
one on cognitive aging, and one on hearing loss in adults. I currently also chair
the Board on the Health of Select Populations for the National Academies. In the past
I have been PI on a number of research
Li-Tzy Wu
Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Education/Training: Pre- and post-doctoral training in mental health service research,
psychiatric epidemiology (NIMH T32), and addiction epidemiology (NIDA T32) from Johns
Hopkins University School of Public Health (Maryland); Fellow of the NIH Summer Institute
on the Design and Conduct of Randomized Clinical Trials.Director: Duke Community Based
Substance Use Disorder Research Program.Research interests: COVID-19, Opioid misuse,
Opioid overdose, Opioid use disorder
Alphabetical list of authors with Scholars@Duke profiles.

Articles written by Duke faculty are made available through the campus open access policy. For more information see: Duke Open Access Policy
Rights for Collection: Scholarly Articles
Works are deposited here by their authors, and represent their research and opinions, not that of Duke University. Some materials and descriptions may include offensive content. More info