HALT Recovery Central's Addiction Blog

Young people just out of high school are less likely to drink heavily and smoke marijuana if they are in a romantic relationship, compared to their peers who are not dating. In the same way that getting married will often reduce substance abuse, a new study shows that dating can also influence young people to reduce their drinking and smoking.

Conversely, young people 19 or 20 years old who are not in a relationship are 40% more likely to use marijuana.

Many studies have shown that marriage among older people reduces the chance that people will drink heavily or smoke pot frequently, but the new study showed that just dating can have the same effect for young people.

Catching Up With Their Peers

The University of Washington study followed 909 young people from first and second grade through two years after high school. There were some surprises in the research findings:

• Those who were not in a relationship at age 19 and 20 smoked and drank less than their peers when they were in high school.
• After high school, however, those not in relationships catch up or surpass their peers in substance abuse.

Spending Less Times in the Bar

The authors of the study speculate that the reason that young people in relationships are less likely to drink and smoke less is because they are happier and get social support from their partners. They spend less time at parties and bars and less time with their drinking friends.
The researchers found that there was an exception to their findings about dating and substance abuse. If a person is dating someone who is a heavy drinker or drug user, it raises the odds that the person will smoke and drink.

Source: Alcoholism Blog of Buddy T.