Application of zero-inflated poisson regression model to factors on marijuana use among U.S. Youth

Interest in and potential use of marijuana has been increasing among adolescents.However, data on adolescent marijuana use still show most respondents having no experience using marijuana.Therefore, there is a high possibility that interpretation distortion will occur when fitting simple regression due to the excessive zero values.To address the issue, this study applied Zero-inflated poisson (ZIP) regression model to identify the relationship between the number of marijuana uses or the probability to use it and the home environment, leisure activities, and psychological characteristics.The ZIP model allows for separate estimates of the probability of marijuana use and the frequency of use.The results showed that social environments, family background, and individual behavioral patterns affected the number of marijuana use.These results can serve as the basis for designing youth drug prevention policies and education programs and suggest the direction of establishing a comprehensive prevention system.