Citation

Coughlin LN, Bonar EE, Bohnert ASB, Blow FC, Bauermeister JA, Cross Y, Cunningham R, Young SD, Walton MAL. Addict. Res. Theory 2022; 30(2): 89-95.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/16066359.2021.1936511

PMID

unavailable

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.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescents; Alcohol and cannabis co-use; alcohol use; cannabis use; polysubstance use; young adults