Patterns of same-day alcohol and cannabis use in adolescents and young adults with risky alcohol use. (4th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Coughlin, Lara N.; Bonar, Erin E.; Bohnert, Amy S. B.; Blow, Frederic C.; Bauermeister, José A.; Cross, Yazmyn; Cunningham, Rebecca; Young, Sean D.; Walton, Maureen A.
• Is Part Of: Addiction research & theory. Volume 30:Number 2(2022)
• Page Start: 89
• Page End: 95
• Publication Date: 2022-03-04
• Subjects: Alcohol and cannabis co-use -- polysubstance use -- cannabis use -- alcohol use -- adolescents -- young adults; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Compulsive behavior -- Periodicals; Behavior, Addictive -- Periodicals; Substance-Related Disorders -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1080/16066359.2021.1936511
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1606-6359

Abstract

Abstract: Same-day alcohol and cannabis use is relatively common in adolescents and young adults, constituting a higher-risk behavior relative to single-substance use. However, the association between quantity of alcohol and cannabis use on co-use days is understudied. We examined the association between the quantity of alcohol and same-day cannabis use with a multilevel regression analysis in a sample of youth (16–24 years old) with risky alcohol use. Participants reported one or more days of alcohol and cannabis over the past month ( N = 468). Quantity of cannabis use was highest on heavy drinking days [ M = 0.91 grams, SD = 0.68] followed by moderate drinking days ( M = 0.78 grams, SD = 0.63), and lowest on days without alcohol use ( M = 0.74 grams, SD = 0.64, p < 0.001). In multilevel modeling analyses, adjusted for clustering within individuals, greater quantity of drinking on a given day was associated with greater cannabis use (estimate = 0.03, p < 0.001). When using alcohol and cannabis on the same day, greater alcohol use was associated with greater cannabis use. Preventing days of heavy use of multiple substances, particularly among at-risk drinkers, may complement interventions addressing co-use generally to prevent substance-related consequences.