College students who simultaneously use alcohol and marijuana are distinguished by higher sensation seeking, lower perseverance, and stronger positive expectations about mixing — not just general substance use risk.
College health professionals, substance use prevention specialists, and young adults who mix alcohol and cannabis
What the researchers found
SAM users reported significantly more binge drinking and alcohol problems than alcohol-only users; sensation seeking, low perseverance, and stronger positive/weaker negative SAM expectancies distinguished simultaneous users from both alcohol-only users and nonusers.
Why it matters
Simultaneous alcohol-marijuana use is more dangerous than using either alone — understanding the psychological profile that predicts this behavior enables targeted prevention.
The numbers in context
1,369 college students; SAM users had significantly higher binge drinking frequency and alcohol-related problems; key distinguishing factors: sensation seeking, low perseverance, positive SAM expectancies.
How the study worked
Online survey of 1,369 Argentinean college students (ages 18-25) assessing substance use, impulsivity traits, behavioral emotion regulation, and SAM-related expectancies, analyzed with ANOVAs and multinomial logistic regression.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design; Argentinean sample may not generalize to other countries; self-report measures; online survey recruitment may not represent all college students.
How to read the evidence
Adequately powered cross-sectional study with appropriate statistical methods, but limited by single-country sample and cross-sectional design.
When this study was published
Published in 2026, representing underexplored Latin American college substance use patterns.
The bigger picture
SAM-specific expectancies (beliefs about what happens when you mix substances) may be a more important intervention target than general substance use attitudes.
Questions still open
- Could expectancy-based interventions specifically targeting SAM reduce this risky pattern? Do SAM expectancies predict escalation over time?
Common questions
Is mixing alcohol and marijuana more dangerous than using either alone?
What makes someone more likely to mix alcohol and marijuana?
Read the original research
Simultaneous Use of Alcohol and Marijuana Among College Students: The Role of Expectancies, Impulsivity and Behavioral Emotion Regulation.
Substance use & misuse, 61(4), 587-597
Citation
Barey, Agostina; Pilatti, Angelina; Ruiz, Paul; Pautassi, Ricardo M. (2026). Simultaneous Use of Alcohol and Marijuana Among College Students: The Role of Expectancies, Impulsivity and Behavioral Emotion Regulation.. Substance use & misuse, 61(4), 587-597. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2025.2568938
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