Language Matters: Cannabis and Tobacco Use Among Youth of Diverse Racial/Ethnic Backgrounds

Using Washington State Healthy Youth Survey data from 2014, 2016, and 2018, this project looked at cannabis and tobacco use for youth of different racial/ethnic backgrounds, 

comparing those who primarily spoke English at home to those who primarily spoke another language. 

The analysis showed that for youth who spoke a language other than English at home (compared to those who spoke English at home): 

o Hispanic and Asian youth were significantly less likely to use cannabis or tobacco, 

o American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, and Multi-ethnic (non-Hispanic) youth 

were more likely to use tobacco but less likely to use cannabis, and 

o White youth (mostly Russian or Ukranian) were more likely to use both cannabis 

and tobacco. 

These findings question the widespread belief that low acculturation alone (measured by language spoken at home) is associated with lower prevalence of substance use, as they demonstrate that white youth are at higher risk for substance use if they speak a language other than English at home (low acculturation).

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