PATH to understanding cannabis and nicotine initiation and co-use among emerging adults.
Lisa M Blair, Melinda Ickes, Andrea McCubbin and 1 others
PMID 35609183WHAT IT FOUND
Emerging adults are not immune to starting nicotine or cannabis.
Over a quarter initiated nicotine and over a third initiated cannabis in this age group. Nicotine users were 13 times more likely to have used cannabis, with co-use common.
Key findings
01Among those who had ever used nicotine, 27.1% initiated use in emerging adulthood (ages 18-24), and among those who had ever used cannabis, 34.9% initiated in this same period.
02Ever-use of nicotine was associated with a 13-fold increase in the likelihood of having ever used cannabis.
03Individuals who initiated nicotine use in emerging adulthood were more than twice as likely to have ever used cannabis compared to those who initiated in adolescence.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that nicotine initiation causes cannabis initiation, only that they are associated. Data collection occurred between 2011 and 2017, so trends in newer products like e-cigarettes may have changed since then. Recall bias may affect estimates of the age at which use became regular. The large sample size means small differences can be statistically significant even if they are not clinically meaningful.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Food and Drug Administration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that patients over 18 are past the risk period for starting nicotine or cannabis. Over a quarter of new nicotine users and a third of new cannabis users in this sample started during emerging adulthood.