This paper identifies a number of factors uniquely associated with the transition to cannabis use opportunity and with the transition from opportunity to cannabis dependence, and several factors that increase hazards of both these transitions. Parental conflict, parental alcohol problems and childhood sexual abuse were uniquely associated with faster transition to opportunity, whilst frequent childhood religious attendance was associated with slower transition to opportunity. Depressive episode, tobacco dependence, alcohol dependence, other drug use and other drug dependence were uniquely associated with faster progression from opportunity to dependence. Conduct disorder, parental drug problems and weekly tobacco use were associated with faster progression to both opportunity and from opportunity and dependence, with female gender associated with slower transition for both.
