A Canadian national sample found that gamblers who use cannabis showed more severe gambling problems, higher substance use, and worse mental health compared to non-cannabis-using gamblers.
Gambling treatment providers, addiction counselors, public health researchers, and gambling regulators.
More severe problemsCannabis-using gamblers showed worse gambling severity, substance use, and mental health than non-users
What the researchers found
Cannabis-using gamblers exhibited more severe problem gambling, greater overall substance use, and worse mental health outcomes compared to gamblers who do not use cannabis, from a nationally representative Canadian sample.
Why it matters
Understanding the co-occurrence of cannabis use and gambling problems can improve screening and treatment approaches for both conditions, which frequently appear together.
The numbers in context
Data from a Canadian national sample comparing gambling behavior, problem severity, substance use, and mental health between cannabis-using and non-using gamblers.
How the study worked
Cross-sectional analysis of a Canadian nationally representative sample comparing gambling and mental health outcomes by cannabis use status.
Who was studied
Gamblers from a Canadian national sample, compared by cannabis use status.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine directionality; national sample may underrepresent severe gambling populations; self-reported cannabis use and gambling behavior.
How to read the evidence
Nationally representative cross-sectional data; provides strong descriptive evidence but cannot establish causation.
When this study was published
Recent analysis from a large Canadian national dataset.
The bigger picture
The co-occurrence of cannabis use and gambling problems suggests shared vulnerability factors or mutually reinforcing behaviors that should be addressed together in clinical settings.
Replication
Nationally representative data adds to cross-sectional literature on cannabis-gambling co-occurrence.
Funding
Not specified
Conflicts of interest
Not specified
Questions still open
- Does cannabis use worsen gambling decisions?
- Is there a common underlying factor driving both behaviors?
- Should gambling treatment programs screen for cannabis use?
Read the original research
Problem gambling severity, gambling behavior, substance use, and mental health in gamblers who do and do not use cannabis: Evidence from a Canadian national sample.
Addictive behaviors, 137, 107520
Citation
McGrath, Daniel S; Williams, Robert J; Rothery, Brett; Belanger, Yale D; Christensen, Darren R; El-Guebaly, Nady; Hodgins, David C; Nicoll, Fiona; Shaw, Carrie A; Smith, Garry J; Stevens, Rhys M G. (2023). Problem gambling severity, gambling behavior, substance use, and mental health in gamblers who do and do not use cannabis: Evidence from a Canadian national sample.. Addictive behaviors, 137, 107520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107520