What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Addiction.

Where was this research published?

Published in American journal of community psychology on August 10, 2026.

Where community context shapes teen substance-use risk

Q: What did this research study find?

Perceived *community disorganization* was associated with **lifetime and past-30-day alcohol use** among adolescents in town and rural settings.

Place-based risk: Examining relationships between adolescent perceptions of community risk factors and adolescent substance use across geographic contexts.

American journal of community psychology • August 10, 2026 • Moderately Relevant

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AI Summary

This study examined whether adolescents’ perceptions of community conditions were linked to substance use across different geographic settings. Researchers analyzed survey data from 9,819 adolescents in Florida, comparing youth in urban, town, and rural locations. The analysis considered lifetime and past-30-day use of alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, and illicit drugs using logistic regression models.

Perceived community disorganization—such as a lack of social order or cohesion—was associated with lifetime and recent alcohol use among adolescents in towns and rural areas. It was also associated with illicit drug use across all geographic locations. The abstract does not report a specific significant association for marijuana use, so the findings should not be interpreted as showing that community disorganization directly increases teen cannabis use. Instead, the study suggests that prevention efforts may need to reflect both shared and location-specific community risks.

💡 Key Findings

Perceived community disorganization was associated with lifetime and past-30-day alcohol use among adolescents in town and rural settings.

Good

70%

Perceived community disorganization was associated with illicit drug use across all geographic locations studied.

Good

70%

The study identified shared and unique risk and protective processes across geographic settings, supporting place-specific prevention strategies.

Good

60%

Although marijuana use was included in the analysis, the abstract does not report a specific significant marijuana-use association.

High

80%

📄 Original Abstract

Mixed evidence for the influence of structural and social factors on adolescent substance use behaviors exists across the rural-urban continuum. Therefore, this study explores how adolescent perceptions of structural and social community risk factors are associated with lifetime and past 30-day use of alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, and illicit drugs among adolescents in different geographic locations. Data from 9819 adolescents from the 2019 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey were used to estimate associations between adolescent perceptions of community risk factors and lifetime and past 30-day alcohol, marijuana, cigarette, and illicit drugs using logistic regression models stratified by geographic location. Adolescent perceptions of community disorganization were significantly associated with lifetime and past 30-day alcohol use among town and rural adolescents and illicit drug use among adolescents from all geographic locations. Findings point to shared and unique risk and protective processes in geographic locations with implications for future research and community prevention efforts.

Paper Type

📄 Research

Publication

Journal: American journal of community psychology
Published: August 10, 2026
PMID: 42573008
DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.70094

Authors (5)

Melissa Pearman Fenton Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
Sarah D Lynne Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Josie L Bryan Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Catherine Woodstock Striley Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Larry F Forthun Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.