Objective

Cannabis and alcohol co-use is highly prevalent and confers a host of risk factors that outweigh those related to the use of either substance alone. However, few studies have examined associations between varying levels of co-use intensity (i.e., frequency) and clinical variables. The present study characterizes the effects of co-use across varying levels of cannabis use frequency in a large sample of heavy drinkers.

Methods

Comparisons among co-use groups (i.e., no, light-to-moderate, and moderate-to-heavy cannabis use; N = 863; 33.95 % female) on demographic and clinical variables consisted of one-way analyses of variance for continuous outcomes or Chi-Square tests for dichotomous outcomes. Multinomial logistic regression modeling was used to examine the relationship between demographic and clinical variables and co-use group membership. Multiple linear regression was used to explore associations among variables of interest and cannabis use days.

Results

Despite relatively low levels of cannabis use overall in the present sample, younger age, identification with male gender, treatment seeking for AUD, and concurrent tobacco use were robust predictors of co-use. Individuals reporting more frequent cannabis use also reported increased levels of alcohol craving and more heavy drinking days, as compared to those who reported fewer or no cannabis use days. Drinking days and treatment seeking for AUD significantly predicted increases in cannabis use days.

Conclusion

In clinical practice, younger age, male gender, and comorbid tobacco use represent identifiable risk factors for cannabis and alcohol co-use. While in treatment for AUD, reducing drinking days may be an intervention target to mitigate co-use.

中文翻译：

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大麻和酒精共同使用：重度饮酒者中大麻使用强度的影响

客观的

大麻和酒精的共同使用非常普遍，并带来了许多风险因素，这些风险因素超过了单独使用任何一种物质的风险因素。然而，很少有研究检查不同水平的共同使用强度（即频率）与临床变量之间的关联。本研究描述了在大量重度饮酒者样本中，不同程度的大麻使用频率共同使用的影响。

方法

共同使用组（即，无、轻度至中度和中度至重度大麻使用；N  = 863；33.95 % 为女性）在人口统计和临床变量方面的比较包括连续结果的单向方差分析或二分结果的卡方检验。多项逻辑回归模型用于检查人口统计学和临床​​变量与共同使用组成员之间的关系。多元线性回归用于探索感兴趣的变量与大麻使用天数之间的关联。

结果

尽管目前样本中大麻的总体使用水平相对较低，但年龄较小、男性认同、寻求澳元治疗以及同时使用烟草是共同使用的有力预测因素。与报告使用大麻天数较少或没有使用大麻的人相比，报告更频繁使用大麻的人还报告说，他们对酒精的渴望程度更高，饮酒天数也更多。寻求澳元的饮酒天数和治疗显着预测了大麻使用天数的增加。

结论

在临床实践中，年轻、男性和合并烟草使用是大麻和酒精共同使用的可识别风险因素。在治疗 AUD 时，减少饮酒天数可能是减少共同使用的干预目标。