“It Just Depends on the Environment”: Patterns and Decisions of Substance Use and Co-use by Adolescents

Abstract

This study used rich qualitative data to examine the role that social and physical contexts play in decision making related to simultaneous use of alcohol and marijuana among adolescents. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 adolescents who used alcohol and marijuana within several hours of each other. Decisions about whether to use alcohol and marijuana simultaneously as well as use patterns (e.g., the sequence in which substances were used) were informed by the context and the desired effect of the substance(s). Also, simultaneous alcohol and marijuana use was described as occurring in multiple contexts, both destination and transitional. Interventions designed to reduce simultaneous alcohol and marijuana use could benefit from paying attention to substance use contexts.

Keywords:

• adolescents
• qualitative
• substance simultaneous use

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [P60-AA006282-32S1]. The material has not been published in whole or in part elsewhere. This article is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere, and we have no conflicts of interest to report.