Recreational drug use and binge drinking: Stimulant but not cannabis intoxication is associated with excessive alcohol consumption

Abstract

Stimulant intoxication, but not cannabis intoxication, is associated with binge drinking among young adults, compounding already high rates of binge drinking among people who use these drugs.

Consequences of concurrent and simultaneous amphetamine-type stimulant and alcohol use among young adults: hazardous drinking, antisocial behaviour, and contact with police

“…McKetin, Chalmers, and colleagues (2014) found that young adult ecstasy users who consumed stimulants on their last Saturday night out were three times more likely to binge drink compared to ecstasy-using peers who were not using stimulants that night. Additionally, these stimulant-intoxicated young adults reported drinking excessively, consuming a median of 20 standard drinks during their night out (McKetin, Chalmers, et al, 2014). The independent association we have observed between nightclub attendance and hazardous alcohol use is longitudinal in nature, suggesting that regular attendance at these venues may promote long-term changes in behaviour.…”

“…Research in Australia has shown that illicit stimulant (i.e., ecstasy, methamphetamine, and cocaine) users appear to drink at excessive levels when combining stimulants and alcohol in NEDs. In an online survey of 1,994 18-to 30-year-old Australians, McKetin, Chalmers and colleagues (2014) found that ecstasy users (i.e., respondents who had used ecstasy within the last 12 months) who had consumed stimulants on their last Saturday night out reported consuming a median of 20 standard drinks (McKetin, Chalmers, et al, 2014). Similarly, a study of 220 young adult illicit stimulant users living in Melbourne reported that these young adults consumed a median of 15 standard drinks during their most recent episode of stimulant use (Jenkinson et al, 2014).…”

“…Additionally, there may be an indirect effect of regular ATS use on long-term drinking patterns. ATS users who regularly combine alcohol and ATS, consuming alcohol at the high levels observed in the literature (Jenkinson et al, 2014;McKetin, Chalmers, et al, 2014), may be at increased risk of future alcohol use disorders, including alcohol dependence, simply as a consequence of increased alcohol consumption over a period of time (Magura & Rosenblum, 2000).…”

“…In 2016, 7.0% and 2.8% of Australians aged 20-29 years had used ecstasy and methamphetamine in the last 12 months, respectively (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2017b). ATS are also among the most widely used illicit drugs in Australian NEDs (Miller, Curtis, et al, 2015;, where they are commonly used in combination with alcohol (Jenkinson, Jolley, & Dietze, 2014;McKetin, Chalmers, Sunderland, & Bright, 2014). As noted above, research indicates that the combined use of alcohol and ATS may result in greater harms than their separate use.…”

“…As noted above, research indicates that the combined use of alcohol and ATS may result in greater harms than their separate use. These harms include increased neurotoxicity (Cassel et al, 2005;Izco, Orio, O'Shea, & Colado, 2007), increased heart rate and blood pressure (Darke, Kaye, McKetin, & Duflou, 2008;Mendelson, Jones, Upton, & Jacob, 1995), extreme levels of heavy episodic drinking (McKetin, Chalmers, et al, 2014), engagement in risky behaviours (e.g., unsafe sex; Breen et al, 2006), and aggression (McKetin, Lubman, et al, 2014). However, despite the prevalence of ATS use and its common use with alcohol, knowledge of community patterns of concurrent and simultaneous ATS and alcohol use is limited, particularly with regard to ecstasy use (Breen et al, 2006;Kinner, George, Johnston, Dunn, & Degenhardt, 2012), and research examining the potential consequences of combined use is scarce (Kirkpatrick, Gunderson, Levin, Foltin, & Hart, 2012).…”