PCP Users Were More Violent Toward Partners Than Cannabis or Alcohol Users
Compared to cannabis users and polysubstance (alcohol and cannabis) users, PCP users were significantly more likely to have perpetrated intimate partner violence and had more extensive legal histories.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers compared 109 PCP users, 81 cannabis users, and 97 polysubstance (alcohol and cannabis) users from substance abuse evaluations. PCP users were more likely than both comparison groups to have received inpatient referrals, have significant legal histories, and have perpetrated both general violence and intimate partner violence in the past year.
The finding that PCP users were more violent than even polysubstance users (who used both alcohol and cannabis) suggests that PCP has a specific association with violence beyond what can be attributed to general substance use.
Key Numbers
109 PCP users vs. 81 cannabis users vs. 97 polysubstance users. PCP users had higher rates of: inpatient referrals, legal history, past-year general violence, past-year intimate partner violence. All comparisons significant relative to both other groups.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional comparison of substance abuse evaluations from 109 PCP-addicted, 81 cannabis-abusing, and 97 polysubstance (alcohol and cannabis)-abusing offenders. Compared rates of inpatient referral, legal history, general violence, and intimate partner violence.
Why This Research Matters
Cannabis is often discussed alongside more dangerous drugs, but this study provides context showing that the violence profile of cannabis users is significantly lower than PCP users. The cannabis-only group served as a comparison baseline, helping distinguish substance-specific effects.
The Bigger Picture
This study contributes to the evidence that different substances have very different associations with violence. While cannabis is sometimes lumped together with other illegal drugs in policy discussions, its violence profile is substantially different from drugs like PCP.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot prove PCP use causes violence. All participants were offenders undergoing substance abuse evaluation, not a general population sample. Selection into PCP use may involve pre-existing traits that also predict violence. The groups may differ on unmeasured variables.
Questions This Raises
- ?What specific properties of PCP contribute to violent behavior?
- ?Should violence risk assessment tools incorporate substance-specific information?
- ?How do cannabis users' violence rates compare to the general population?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- PCP users had higher violence rates than both cannabis and polysubstance groups
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional comparison of offender evaluations; preliminary evidence limited by the sample and design.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2013. The relationship between specific substances and violence continues to be studied.
- Original Title:
- The association between phencyclidine use and partner violence: an initial examination.
- Published In:
- Journal of addictive diseases, 32(2), 150-7 (2013)
- Authors:
- Crane, Cory A, Easton, Caroline J, Devine, Susan
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00667
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis cause violence?
This study found that cannabis-only users had significantly lower rates of violence than PCP users. While the study was not designed to determine whether cannabis causes or prevents violence, the cannabis group served as a lower-violence comparison group, suggesting cannabis has a different relationship to aggression than drugs like PCP.
Why is PCP associated with more violence?
PCP (phencyclidine) is a dissociative drug that can cause agitation, paranoia, distorted perception, and impaired judgment. These pharmacological effects may directly contribute to aggressive behavior. In contrast, cannabis tends to produce sedation and reduced aggression in most users.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00667APA
Crane, Cory A; Easton, Caroline J; Devine, Susan. (2013). The association between phencyclidine use and partner violence: an initial examination.. Journal of addictive diseases, 32(2), 150-7. https://doi.org/10.1080/10550887.2013.797279
MLA
Crane, Cory A, et al. "The association between phencyclidine use and partner violence: an initial examination.." Journal of addictive diseases, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1080/10550887.2013.797279
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "The association between phencyclidine use and partner violen..." RTHC-00667. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/crane-2013-the-association-between-phencyclidine
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.