There is less evidence of a link between parental AUD and early cigarette and cannabis use and sexual debut than for early alcohol use. Sartor and colleagues (30) found that maternal alcohol problems were associated with early age at first cigarette in a sample of offspring of twins. In an extension of that same offspring-of-twins study, Scherrer and colleagues (57) found a significant association of maternal alcohol problems with elevated odds of offspring nicotine dependence. Regarding cannabis use, parental alcohol problems were independently associated with opportunity to use cannabis in Australian twins but not with the transition to cannabis dependence (29). The present study broadens the literature on the influence of parental AUD beyond offspring alcohol use to other substances and behaviors that are often correlated with alcohol use.
