A new study examined alcohol use and other potential correlates of vape-pen use (i.e., cannabis vaping) and knowledge. A secondary analysis of data was conducted from data collected as part of a web-based survey of U.S college students’ cannabis use behaviors and correlates. Participants (N = 270) were college students with most of them were between the ages of 20 to 23. The survey included questions about demographics, vape-pen use and knowledge, cannabis use, tobacco use and perceived norms. It also included the following measures. Marijuana Effect Expectancy Questionnaire (MEEQ) was used to measure cannabis expectancies. Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ) was used to measure alcohol use. The UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale was used to measure five facets of impulsive behavior including negative urgency, lack of premeditation, sensation seeking and positive urgency. Lastly, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale was used to measure social anxiety. The authors used bivariate correlations and logistic regressions to examine the above correlates of vape-pen use and knowledge. Results showed that 61% of participants reported never smoking a cigarette in their lifetime, 88% had never smoked regularly, and 93.8% reported no cigarette smoking in the past week. Furthermore, 54.1% of participants had tried cannabis in their lifetime and 10.7% reported having ever tried a vape-pen. Bivariate correlations showed that drinks per drinking day were correlated significantly with vape-pen use (p < 0.01) as well as with vape-pen knowledge (p < 0.05). Frequency of cannabis use and positive expectancies also correlated significantly with increased likelihood of vape-pen use. Lack of premeditation, negative urgency, and cannabis use were correlated significantly with knowledge of cannabis vape-pens. On the other hand, social anxiety, sensation seeking, and cigarette use were not significantly correlated with cannabis vape-pen use or knowledge. Logistic regressions showed that frequency of cannabis use was the only significant statistical predictor of vape-pen use (p < 0.001). However, when cannabis use was removed from the model, positive expectancies, alcohol intake, and peer injunctive norms were all significant statistical predictors of vape-pen use. As for the facets of impulsivity, lack of premeditation statistically predicted vape-pen knowledge. In addition, negative urgency trended towards significance (p = 0.056).
Take Away: This study found that alcohol use was associated with vape-pen use and knowledge. Frequency of cannabis use, peer injunctive norms, and positive expectancies were associated with increased likelihood of vape-pen use. Lack of premeditation, which is a facet of impulsivity, was associated with cannabis vape-pen knowledge.