Perceived parental approval of marijuana and heavy drinking predicted simultaneous use in young adults
Among 1,023 young adults, those who perceived parental approval of marijuana use or heavy drinking were 2 to 3.5 times more likely to use alcohol and marijuana simultaneously.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Marijuana-specific attitudes (believing it is not wrong for their age) differentiated simultaneous or co-users from alcohol-only users. Perceived parental approval of marijuana use or heavy drinking was associated with 2.25 to 3.53 times greater odds of simultaneous alcohol-marijuana use versus non-simultaneous co-use.
Key Numbers
1,023 young adults. 20.7% reported simultaneous use, 12.6% non-simultaneous co-use, 66.6% alcohol only. Perceived parental approval of marijuana: OR 2.25-3.53 for SAM vs CAM.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of 1,023 young adults (mean age 23.17). Compared past-30-day simultaneous alcohol-marijuana use (SAM, 20.7%), non-simultaneous co-use (CAM, 12.6%), and alcohol-only use (66.6%) using multinomial logistic regression.
Why This Research Matters
Simultaneous alcohol and marijuana use is riskier than using either alone, associated with more binge drinking and impaired driving. Identifying modifiable risk factors like perceived parental attitudes helps target prevention efforts.
The Bigger Picture
Prevention programs that address both alcohol and marijuana attitudes together, and that involve parent communication about both substances, may be more effective than programs focused on only one substance.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot establish causation. Self-reported perceived parental attitudes may not accurately reflect actual parental views. Sample was from a specific age cohort.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would parent-focused interventions reduce simultaneous use?
- ?Do perceived parental attitudes have the same influence across different cultural backgrounds?
- ?Is simultaneous use increasing with cannabis legalization?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Perceived parental approval: 2.25-3.53x higher odds of simultaneous use
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: large sample with validated measures, but cross-sectional design and self-reported perceptions.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- Simultaneous use of marijuana and alcohol: Potential prevention targets among young adults who use alcohol.
- Published In:
- Addictive behaviors, 124, 107118 (2022)
- Authors:
- Skinner, Martie L, Guttmannova, Katarina(9), Oesterle, Sabrina(2), Kuklinski, Margaret R
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04230
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What is simultaneous use versus co-use?
Simultaneous use means consuming alcohol and marijuana at the same time so their effects overlap. Co-use means using both substances within the same time period but not simultaneously.
Why is simultaneous use more dangerous?
Research shows simultaneous use causes greater physical and mental impairment than using either substance separately and is associated with higher rates of binge drinking and impaired driving.
Did alcohol attitudes also predict simultaneous use?
Surprisingly, marijuana-specific risk factors were more important than alcohol-specific attitudes in distinguishing simultaneous users from alcohol-only users.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04230APA
Skinner, Martie L; Guttmannova, Katarina; Oesterle, Sabrina; Kuklinski, Margaret R. (2022). Simultaneous use of marijuana and alcohol: Potential prevention targets among young adults who use alcohol.. Addictive behaviors, 124, 107118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107118
MLA
Skinner, Martie L, et al. "Simultaneous use of marijuana and alcohol: Potential prevention targets among young adults who use alcohol.." Addictive behaviors, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107118
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Simultaneous use of marijuana and alcohol: Potential prevent..." RTHC-04230. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/skinner-2022-simultaneous-use-of-marijuana
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.