Profile of Adults Who Use Both Marijuana and E-Cigarettes in Utah | Research

The takeaway

Adults who used both marijuana and vaping products were far more likely to be young, male, report poor mental health, and have respiratory conditions compared to single- or non-users.

Public health researchers, clinicians working with young adults, people who use both products

aOR 12.44 for age 18-29 among dual users

What the researchers found

Dual users of marijuana and e-cigarettes had dramatically higher odds of being aged 18-29 (aOR 12.44), being male (aOR 3.29), reporting 14+ days of poor mental health (aOR 2.30), having asthma (aOR 2.09), COPD (aOR 2.94), currently smoking cigarettes (aOR 4.56), and using prescribed pain medications (aOR 2.13).

Why it matters

Understanding who uses both marijuana and vaping products helps identify populations that may face compounded health risks from multiple inhalant substances.

The numbers in context

n=10,380; dual users aOR 12.44 for age 18-29; aOR 3.29 for male; aOR 2.30 for poor mental health; aOR 2.09 for asthma; aOR 2.94 for COPD; aOR 4.56 for current cigarette smoking

How the study worked

Cross-sectional analysis of the 2018 Utah Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n=10,380) using multivariable logistic regression comparing dual users to a reference group of single- or non-users.

What this study cannot tell us

Cross-sectional design cannot determine direction of associations. Utah population may differ from national patterns. Self-reported data subject to social desirability bias.

How to read the evidence

Representative population survey with robust multivariable analysis, but cross-sectional design limits causal interpretation.

When this study was published

Published in 2022

The bigger picture

Dual use of marijuana and vaping products represents a growing pattern, particularly among young adults. The clustering of respiratory conditions and poor mental health in this group suggests compounding vulnerabilities.

Questions still open

Does dual use worsen respiratory outcomes beyond either substance alone? Are mental health conditions driving dual use, or does dual use contribute to poorer mental health?

Common questions

Who is most likely to use both marijuana and vaping products?

Young adults aged 18-29 were 12 times more likely to be dual users. Males, current cigarette smokers, people with respiratory conditions, and those with poor mental health were also overrepresented.

Is dual use of marijuana and e-cigarettes common?

The study identified dual users as a distinct risk group within a representative Utah adult population, characterized by younger age, male sex, and multiple health comorbidities.

Read the original research

Characteristics of Adults Who Use Both Marijuana and E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products: A Cross-Sectional Study, Utah, 2018.

Public health reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974), 137(4), 695-701

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Lewis, Nathaniel M; Friedrichs, Michael; Wagstaff, Shelly S; Nakashima, Allyn K; Dunn, Angela C. (2022). Characteristics of Adults Who Use Both Marijuana and E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products: A Cross-Sectional Study, Utah, 2018.. Public health reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974), 137(4), 695-701. https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549211018679