Why Parents Worry: Initiation into Cannabis Use by Youth and Their Educational Attainment

CentER Discussion Paper No. 2007-60

49 Pages Posted: 6 Sep 2007

See all articles by Jan C. van Ours

Jan C. van Ours

Tilburg University - Department of Economics; University of Melbourne - Department of Economics

Jenny Williams

University of Melbourne - Department of Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: August 2007

Abstract

In this paper we use individual level data from the Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey to study the relationship between initiation into cannabis use and educational attainment. Using instrumental variable estimation and bivariate duration analysis we find that those initiating into cannabis use early in life are much more likely to dropout of school compared to those who start later on. Moreover, we find that the reduction in years of schooling depends on the age at which initiation occurs, and that it is larger for females than males.

Keywords: cannabis use, age of initiation, educational attainment

JEL Classification: C41, D12, I19

Suggested Citation

van Ours, Jan C. and Williams, Jenny, Why Parents Worry: Initiation into Cannabis Use by Youth and Their Educational Attainment (August 2007). CentER Discussion Paper No. 2007-60, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1012269 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1012269

Jan C. Van Ours (Contact Author)

Tilburg University - Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands
+31 13 466 2880 (Phone)
+31 13 466 3042 (Fax)

University of Melbourne - Department of Economics ( email )

Melbourne, 3010
Australia

Jenny Williams

University of Melbourne - Department of Economics ( email )

Melbourne, 3010
Australia

HOME PAGE: http://www.economics.unimelb.edu.au/staffprofile/jwilliams.htm

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