Children with ADHD are more likely to use drugs, analysis finds

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are up to three times more likely than other children use, abuse or become dependent on substances such as nicotine, cocaine and marijuana in adolescence and young adults, new research suggests. By Matt York, AP

Adolescents with ADHD are 1.5 times more likely to try marijuana than those without ADHD, new research shows.

By Matt York, AP

Adolescents with ADHD are 1.5 times more likely to try marijuana than those without ADHD, new research shows.

Adolescents with ADHD were also more likely to experiment with nicotine and illegal substances in old age than those without ADHD, according to an analysis of 27 long-term studies that followed 4100 ADHD and 6,800 non-ADHD children to young adulthood-in some cases for 10 years or more.The study, by psychologists at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of South Carolina-Columbia, was funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. It was published online in the journal, Clinical Psychology Review and will appear in the printed edition of the magazine this summer.ADHD usually makes an appearance around age 8 or 9, as the learning environment in the lower school is more structured and more substantial academic expectations, says lead researcher Steve Lee, an assistant professor of clinical psychology at UCLA. It affects 5 to 7% of school-age children, he says; symptoms are persistent trouble focusing and strong signs of hyperactive and impulsive behavior that learning and social activities interfere.That might seem like a description of many school-age children, and in fact, these symptoms are common, Lee says. But for a clinical diagnosis of ADHD, he says, the behavior must be developmentally extreme compared with other children, and should a child's social and academic functioning negatively.His analysis shows that children with ADHD are three times more likely to develop nicotine dependence, 1.5 times more likely to use marijuana, and twice as likely to use cocaine, compared to children without ADHD.A diagnosis of ADHD both increased odds of a child ever nicotine or have used illegal drugs and substance abuse problems develop in adolescence and adulthood predicted, says Lee. That was the case for boys and girls of all ages and races.Still, for children with ADHD, substance abuse is not inevitable, says Brooke Molina, associate professor of psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. "This risk is approximately the same as the risk of alcoholism for a child of an alcoholic," she says.But why young people with ADHD are more likely to abuse substances is the million dollar question.Drugs can offer a temporary exemption of the emergency caused by the fear, social dysfunction, stress and conflicts that can be caused by ADHD, says Lee. He advises parents stay informed of changes in the social relations of a child, unexpected changes in vote, and remarkable declines in academic performance, as well as the signs and symptoms of substance use.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ 's. Report corrections and clarifications, contact standards Editor Brent Jones. For consideration of publication in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and State for authentication. View our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.