Getting higher: co-occurring drug use among marijuana-using emerging adults

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Substance Use Research
• Adolescent and Emerging Adult Health

Background:

• Marijuana is the most used illicit drug in the U.S., with increasing rates among emerging adults.
• Marijuana use is linked to negative health outcomes and co-use of other substances in young people.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between marijuana use frequency and the use of other drug classes in emerging adults.
• To identify specific drug classes associated with frequent marijuana consumption.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional interview design with a community sample of 1,075 emerging adults in the northeastern U.S.
• Logistic regression analysis controlling for demographic factors and binge alcohol use.

Main Results:

• Daily marijuana use was significantly associated with increased odds of using opiates, cocaine, stimulants, hallucinogens, inhalants, and tobacco.
• This association persisted after controlling for confounding variables.

Conclusions:

• Daily marijuana users represent a vulnerable subgroup of emerging adults.
• This group faces elevated risks for polysubstance use and associated negative consequences.