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Changes in cigarette and alcohol use during cannabis abstinence
David J Allsop1, Adrian J Dunlop2, Craig Saddler3
1School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|March 12, 2014
Summary
Quitting cannabis temporarily increased alcohol and tobacco use, especially in those with milder withdrawal symptoms. However, substance use returned to baseline levels upon resuming cannabis, with no increase in sustained abstainers.
Area of Science:
- Addiction research
- Substance use disorders
- Public health
Background:
- Cannabis use is prevalent, and understanding substitution effects with alcohol and tobacco during abstinence is crucial for public health.
- Cannabis is considered less harmful than alcohol and tobacco, making substitution patterns important to study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if cannabis abstinence leads to increased use of alcohol and/or tobacco.
- To identify factors that predict substance substitution during cannabis cessation.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of a prospective community-based study involving 45 non-treatment seeking cannabis users.
- Quantified cannabis, alcohol, and tobacco use via Timeline Follow-back during a two-week voluntary cannabis abstinence period and at one-month follow-up.
- Verified cannabis use through urine THC-COOH levels.
Main Results:
- Alcohol and cigarette use significantly increased during cannabis abstinence (8 SU/week and 14 cigarettes/week, respectively).
- Greater increases in alcohol and tobacco use were observed in individuals with lower baseline use.
- Substance use decreased upon resuming cannabis; no increase was seen in participants who remained abstinent from cannabis at follow-up.
- Sleep difficulties and restlessness during cannabis withdrawal predicted increased cigarette use.
Conclusions:
- Cannabis abstinence is associated with temporary increases in alcohol and tobacco consumption.
- Resumption of cannabis use led to a decrease in substituted alcohol and tobacco use.
- Individuals who successfully maintained long-term cannabis abstinence did not show increased alcohol or tobacco use.
- Further research is needed on substitution patterns in treatment-seeking individuals during outpatient cannabis abstinence.
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