Adverse Childhood Experiences and Illegal Drug Use Among College Students: Findings from a French Sample

While studies have demonstrated the negative impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on lifelong health, less is known about the relationship between ACEs and illegal drug use. Thus, the objective of the study was to examine the relationship between ACEs and illegal drug use among college students.

French college students between 18 and 30 years enrolled in a university cohort study were eligible for inclusion. Multivariate logistic regression models were conducted for each drug.

Among the sample (n = 1,157), 30.6% had no ACE exposure, 29.6%, 19.2%, and 20.7% had 1, 2 and ≥ 3 ACEs, respectively. Students with ACEs had a higher likelihood of using illegal drugs (p = 0.0067). After controlling for potential confounders, having ≥ 3 ACEs increased the risk of lifetime use of multiple drugs (aOR:10.9; 95% CI: 4.6–26.0), stimulants (aOR: 3.6; 95% CI:1.7–7.7), hallucinogens (aOR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.1–3.5), cannabis (aOR: 4.7; 95% CI: 2.7-8.0), and risky illegal drugs (e.g., higher lifetime frequency drug use) (aOR: 2.9; 95% CI: 1.5–5.8). Estimates for illegal drug use were highest with parental substance use (aOR: 2.6; 95% CI; 1.5–4.4), sexual abuse (aOR: 2.3; 95% CI; 1.4–3.8), and divorce (aOR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3–2.7).

ACEs increase the risk for lifetime illegal drug use and risky drug use in a dose-respondent fashion. These findings suggest that university students with higher levels of ACEs may benefit from additional support and services from clinical practitioners and university administrators.