According to a national report, roughly 24% of those aged 18 to 25 years old have consumed cannabis in the past month. This is the highest prevalence compared to other age groups. Cannabis has been known to cause many adverse consequences, such as motor vehicle accidents, mental illness, physical health issues, sleep problems, and cannabis use disorder. There are also alarming rates of alcohol misuse among this age group as well. Concurrent use of both cannabis and alcohol is widespread. The goal of this study is to investigate if heavy episodic drinking (HEP) and blackout episodes moderate the relationship between cannabis consumption and cannabis use consequences among college students.
The study consisted of 4331 students from a university in the Midwest during 2021. Of these students, 772 were identified as past 6-month cannabis users. Demographics such as age, gender, and race were measured. Cannabis use, cannabis consumption, cannabis use consequences, alcohol use, as well as alcohol-induced blackouts were also measured. HED frequency was included in the analysis of alcohol use. Among cannabis users, 72.7% had at least one day of heavy episodic drinking in the past month.
This study’s findings show that alcohol-induced blackout experiences have significantly moderated the link between cannabis consumption and cannabis-related consequences. Suggesting that blackouts signal a risk of problematic drinking as well as exacerbate the association between cannabis use and its negative consequences. These results can help inform interventions targeting cannabis users who also partake in alcohol to the point of blackout, as well as including blackout history with cannabis use prevention initiatives on college campuses.
Takeaway: Blackouts signal a risk of problematic drinking as well as exacerbate the association between cannabis use and its negative consequences.