Young adults report increased pleasure from smoking cigarettes when drinking alcohol but not when using marijuana

Abstract

Background Among young adults, cigarette smoking is strongly associated with alcohol and marijuana use. The present study compared self-reported co-use of cigarettes and alcohol versus cigarettes and marijuana among young adults using cross-sectional survey data. Methods Participants were young adult cigarette smokers (age 18 to 25) who also reported past month alcohol or marijuana use enrolled in a randomized trial testing a smoking cessation intervention on Facebook. Participants self-reported extent of cigarette smoking under the influence of alcohol or marijuana and differences in perceived pleasure from cigarette smoking when drinking alcohol compared to using marijuana. Results Among cigarette smokers who drank alcohol and used marijuana in the past month (n=200), a similar percentage of cigarettes were smoked under the influence of alcohol (42.4%±31.2%) and marijuana (43.1% ±30.0%). Among alcohol + marijuana users, perceived pleasure from smoking cigarettes was significantly greater when drinking alcohol versus when using marijuana (t(199)=7.05, p<0.001). There was, on average, an increase in perceived pleasure from smoking cigarettes when drinking alcohol, though perceived pleasure did not differ by binge drinking frequency. In contrast, there was on average no change in perceived pleasure from smoking cigarettes when using marijuana. Results from the cigarette smokers who used alcohol + marijuana were similar to cigarette smokers who only used alcohol (n=158) or only used marijuana (n=54). Conclusion Findings highlight greater perceived reward from smoking cigarettes when drinking alcohol compared to when using marijuana, informing smoking cessation interventions that target users of multiple substances.

Alcohol Use Among Patients With Cancer and Survivors in the United States, 2000–2017

“…[20][21][22] Therefore, smokers represent a high-risk population that should also be appropriately screened and counseled regarding alcohol use. Furthermore, because drinking has been shown to represent a conduit for smoking [23][24][25][26] (ie, individuals tend to smoke more after consuming alcohol), reducing the incidence of drinking could also potentially lower smoking rates, particularly in instances of co-use.…”

Trends of poly-substance use among Canadian youth

“…The association between e-cigarettes and alcohol, previously observed in other studies ( Morean et al, 2016 ; Schlienz & Lee, 2018 ; Taylor et al, 2017 ), together with data on social media trends ( Camenga et al, 2018 ; Chu et al, 2018 ; Sampasa-Kanyinga & Hamilton, 2018 ), indicates that use of the former is now a social activity ( Pepper et al, 2017 ; Yule & Tinson, 2017 ). This is particularly concerning not only in light of potential feedback effects due to the previously discussed outsize effects of peer behaviour, but also because e-cigarette use has been shown to increase the risk of cigarette smoking ( Barnett et al, 2015 ; Bold et al, 2018 ; Hammond et al, 2017 ), which also often co-occurs with alcohol use in social situations ( Berg et al, 2018 ; Gubner, Thrul, Kelly, & Ramo, 2018 ; Silveira et al, 2018 ), adding an additional layer of risk. Concerningly, early initiation of cigarette and alcohol co-use may increase the likelihood of opioid use ( Arterberry et al, 2016 ), and the possibility that vaping may come to replace smoking in this role cannot yet be discounted.…”

The relationships between health-related behaviours in the Canadian adult population

“…The Surgeon General’s Report concluded that women who smoke are more susceptible to depression and anxiety disorders than non-smokers, and that women trying to quit smoking relapse for different reasons than men [45]. Women are more likely to use smoking as a coping mechanism for stress, weight control and negative emotions, while men who smoke do so more for stimulation and in pleasurable settings [46]. Smoking is strongly associated with alcohol use among men [47], which is, at least partially, due to increased pleasure from smoking cigarettes when consuming alcohol [48].…”