Nonmedical prescription stimulant misuse was associated with 44% higher cannabis use rates among college students.
College health professionals; substance use researchers; campus prevention specialists.
Nonmedical stimulant misuse: d=0.444 higher cannabis use
What the researchers found
Nonmedical stimulant misuse: cannabis d=0.444, alcohol d=0.275 vs no use. Medical misuse linked to cannabis (d=0.375) but not alcohol. Results held controlling for impulsivity and mental health.
Why it matters
Understanding stimulant-cannabis co-use helps design campus interventions addressing polysubstance use.
The numbers in context
1,692 undergraduates. Nonmedical vs no use: cannabis d=0.444. Medical misuse vs no use: cannabis d=0.375. Nonmedical vs appropriate: cannabis d=0.349.
How the study worked
SEM analysis of 1,692 undergraduates comparing four stimulant use groups, controlling for impulsivity and DASS-21.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional. Single university. Self-reported. Predominantly White sample.
How to read the evidence
Moderate sample with SEM and psychological controls, but cross-sectional.
When this study was published
2026 study
The bigger picture
Medical and nonmedical misuse have different profiles, suggesting different intervention approaches.
Questions still open
- Why is medical misuse linked to cannabis but not alcohol? Are students using cannabis to manage stimulant side effects?
Common questions
What is medical vs nonmedical stimulant misuse?
Why the stronger cannabis link for nonmedical misuse?
Read the original research
Relations between medical and nonmedical prescription stimulant misuse, cannabis use, alcohol use, and related consequences among college students.
Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors
Citation
McDonald, Abigail; Corbin, Will. (2026). Relations between medical and nonmedical prescription stimulant misuse, cannabis use, alcohol use, and related consequences among college students.. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0001103
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