The Takeaway:
Those who use both hallucinogens are greater than 4 times more likely to use e-cigarettes, specifically amongst youth, making the association critical to understanding co-use patterns.
Why did we look at this?
E-cigarette use has become increasingly common among youth in parallel with increased hallucinogen use. E-cigarettes are electronic alternatives to conventional tobacco cigarette smoking. Hallucinogens are a from a class of psychologically altering drugs that influence cognition, mood, and perception. Both are often used recreationally – it is important to understand co-use patterns to improve public health frameworks and improve prevention and health promotion efforts. Furthermore, evidence surroundign their interaction remains mixed, making it even more important to understand.
How did we look at this?
Through a systematic review and meta-analysis, we identified current evidence related to the topic of co-use within scientific literature databases and synthesized available data and information.
What did we find?
Results were significant, demonstrating that hallucinogen users were 4.47 times more likely to use e-cigarettes in combination, compared against non-users. This association held true across all the studies we investigated though the degree varied.
Why does this matter?
Public health programs must target youth and understand that prevention is multipronged in nature. We must continue to understand drivers of co-use to better inform such programs and improve health communication methods.
Careful Considerations:
The evidence analyzed differed from one another – whether it be different scientific designs or measured outcomes – making it crucial to interpret these findings with caution.
Bottom Line:
Those that use hallucinogens are at an increased risk of using e-cigarettes, emphasizing the need to tailor public health strategies, especially towards youth.
Read the Full Publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460326002133