Cannabis Use among Dual Electronic and Combustible Cigarette Smokers: Relations with Pain and Hazardous Drinking

Abstract

Background: E-cigarette use is on the rise and many adult e-cigarette users also smoke combustible cigarettes. Past work suggests that dual use (i.e. use of both electronic and combustible cigarettes) is associated with greater rates of cannabis use, yet little is known about the nature of cannabis use among dual users. Objectives: The current study examined 414 adult dual users (48.3% female, M_age = 35.1 years), half of whom endorsed current (past month) cannabis use. Results: Results indicated that cannabis users reported more severe pain, greater pain interference, and more hazardous drinking. In addition, cannabis use was robustly related to hazardous drinking after statistically controlling for demographic and pain-related variables. Cannabis use was also associated with hazardous drinking indirectly via pain interference at greater levels of pain severity. Conclusions/Importance: These results highlight several clinical correlates of cannabis use among adult dual users, and also suggest that pain may play an important role in hazardous drinking among these individuals.

Keywords:

• E-cigarettes
• dual use
• smoking
• cannabis
• marijuana
• pain
• hazardous drinking

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this study was provided in part by an Endowment awarded to Dr. Zvolensky.