Study assesses concurrent alcohol and marijuana use among students

The simultaneous use of alcohol and marijuana is more risky than the use of one or the other substance because their effects can interact and cause excessive depression of the nervous system central. This can lead to more negative consequences such as driving under the influence, accidents, cognitive impairment and symptoms of substance use disorders, as well as mood and mood alterations. well-being.

Few students have researched the simultaneous consumption of alcohol and marijuana as a result of legislative changes regarding the use of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes in some states. A new study evaluated patterns of simultaneous substance use among students at three state universities enforcing different national laws on recreational marijuana use.

The study involved 1,400 students who had consumed both alcohol and marijuana (alone and / or together) in the past year and who had participated in an online survey badessing their own substances and their negative consequences, their perceptions of simultaneous use of alcohol and marijuana among their friends peers and ease of access to marijuana.

Overall, three-quarters of participants reported using alcohol and marijuana simultaneously over the last year, on average twice a month. After controlling the overall frequency of alcohol and marijuana use, students in a state where marijuana use is decriminalized reported higher concurrent consumption of alcohol and marijuana compared to those in a state. where consumption was legalized – despite the increased number of students from this latter school (52% vs. 47%). very easy access to marijuana. Not surprisingly, students in a state with a criminal marijuana use reported the lowest frequency of concurrent use of alcohol and marijuana.

Previous research has shown that students perceptions psychoactive substance use among their peers (which may differ from the actual consumption of their peers) have a strong influence on their own behaviors. In keeping with this, the new study found that students who perceived high rates of simultaneous alcohol and marijuana use by their peers (and especially their close friends) were more likely to engage in frequent simultaneous consumption of alcohol and marijuana. alcohol and marijuana and were also more likely to experience negative consequences.

The findings suggest that the "normative environment" of a campus may be a more important influence on the simultaneous consumption of alcohol and substances than the legal environment of the state. However, other factors, such as racial composition of students or existing prevention / enforcement strategies on campus, may also partly explain the different rates of concurrent substance use in schools.

Overall, the study indicates that a large majority of students who consume alcohol and marijuana are at risk of serious harm resulting from their simultaneous consumption. Prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing the simultaneous consumption of psychoactive substances with real use would be beneficial.