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Parental cigarette use is 'double whammy' for children
Filed under: Nutrition: Health, Development/Milestones: Babies
A study in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology explored smoking, heavy drinking, and marijuana use across three generations. It found that the children of a parent who uses any of these substances are more likely to smoke, binge drink, or use marijuana in adolescence and adulthood. Drug transmission across generations, the study found, was for a general tendency to use these substances rather than to use any one specifically, with the exception of tobacco. The children of cigarette smokers face an especially murky future. Data for the paper were drawn from two long-term studies in Seattle. Participants were recruited from Seattle elementary schools; 808 students have been followed since 1985. In addition to the participants, who make up generation 2, data were collected from their parents (generation 1) and their children (generation 3). The researchers found a transmission link across the three generations child behavior problems such as conduct disorder (getting into fights, stealing), attention deficit disorder (lack of focus, can't sit still or maintain attention), and oppositional defiant disorder (problems with authority). They found that the link between general substance use and childhood behavior problems held up even when they controlled for such variable social factors as marital status, education and neighborhood conditions. However, they noted the popular notion that the children of substance users are fated to grow up using drugs is wrong.
There is likely nothing here that surprises you. However, the study does paint a bleaker picture for the future of children exposed to these general behaviors than is the case for children unexposed to smoking, heavy drinking, and marijuana use. What do you think?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
8-13-2006 @ 8:03PM
Ethel said...Um, exposed to these general behaviors? Does this mean that there isn't a genetic component to inheritance of ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder?
I am convinced that ADHD is genetically based, and that other disorders maybe with incomplete penetrance that may be compounded by the introduction of chemicals in utero and during childhood. In reality it is a very complex system and it seems there wasn't a comment on inherited behavior? (I could not read the article.) Perhaps it is simply that those who have inherited the disorders but are able to adapt appropriately minimize the impact on their children and are able to teach their learned adaptations. OH! Smart, capable people usually have smart capable children! I am a reasearcher too!
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8-13-2006 @ 9:22PM
Lauren said...Unfortunately, working as a police officer I have booked Grandparents, Parents, and then the Kids of many, many families. Too many families. Of course it makes a difference. We learn by example, bad or good.
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8-14-2006 @ 3:35AM
hahame said...what, exactly, is the problem with smoking marijuana?? seriously, within reason, just as you aren't supposed to drink while driving, or drink on the job, or drink while pregnant, what is the problem??? alcohol causes much more physical damage, why can't we smoke pot?!?!?!
ps it's a trick question...there is no good reason...just an uptight, misinformed, moral majority telling us what to do....
i'll tell you what though...it would sure bring in a lot of revenue and free up tax dollars and time to fix the *real* problems...
while i'm at it, same goes for prostitution...would make things safe, too. i would love to know there's a part of town i don't have to see if i chose not to. however, leaving a trendy restaurant downtown and walking 3 blocks to the parking garage and being accosted by prostitutes and drug dealers is what i'm forced to experience...
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8-14-2006 @ 11:32AM
Brenda said...Hahame,
You may be interested to note that marijuana use, particularly for medicinal purposes (such as severe morning sickness and mental disorders), is not contra-indicated during pregnancy. There are even a few (probably highly biased studies) that say marijuana use during pregnancy is beneficial even in a healthy pregnancy.
For a more balanced view this article is pretty good:
http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/birth_preparation/marijuana-side4.html
There are tonnes of other great articles out there but I can't seem to find them and I should get back to cleaning. It is helpful to search for "medical marijuana" not just marijuana.
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