The current study has demonstrated more specific effects of prenatal exposures within the High-Risk offspring than across the general sample, such that prenatal alcohol exposure was associated with offspring alcohol problems, and prenatal cigarette exposure was associated with offspring cigarette use. The specificity of prenatal exposure type and offspring alcohol or cigarette use is a novel finding. Previous studies examining the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on offspring substance use outcomes find support for increases in alcohol, nicotine, and other drug use (Pfinder et al., 2014, Yates et al., 1998). Similarly, studies examining maternal smoking during pregnancy also demonstrate increases in both alcohol and tobacco use by affected offspring (Ernst et al., 2001). However, evidence from animal research points to plausible mechanisms by which prenatal exposures may increase the risk that offspring use or abuse the substance of exposure. Prenatal exposure to nicotine is associated with increased numbers of nicotinic binding sites in the brain both pre- and post-natally(Hellstrom-Lindahl and Nordberg, 2002), which may predispose the brain to the subsequent addictive influence of nicotine consumed later in life. Similarly, prenatal
