Transcript Research Poster 36 x 60 - A

Substance use among medical cannabis users: Substituting cannabis for alcohol and other substances
P. Lucas1, K. Crosby2, Z. Walsh2 R. Callaway, L. Belle-Isle1, R. Capler2, S. Holtzman2, B. Kay3
1. Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia, 2. University of British Columbia. 3. Green Cannapy Research and Development, Kelowna, BC
ABSTRACT
This study examined the
use of cannabis as a
substitute for alcohol and
other psychoactive drugs
among medical cannabis
users with and without
histories of substance use
treatment. The aim of this
study was to examine the
stability of the substitution
effect with regard to
treatment history among
medical cannabis users.
INTRODUCTION
Psychoactive/pharmacological substitution occurs
when the availability of one substance affects the
use of another (Hursh et al., 2005).
RESULTS
Figure 1: Substituting Cannabis for Alcohol and Illegal
Drugs
50%
46.0%
Among cocaine-dependent patients receiving
addictions treatment, moderate cannabis use was
associated with higher retention rates than
cannabis abstainers, suggesting cannabis may
provide an effective substitute (Aharonovich et al.,
2006).
In a sample of over 400 medical cannabis (MC)
patients, approximately 75% report substituting
cannabis for another substance (e.g., alcohol, illicit
drugs, prescription drugs; Lucas et al., 2012).
Approximately 40-50% MC patients substitute
cannabis for alcohol, and 25-50% substitute
cannabis for illegal drugs (Lucas et al., 2012;
Reiman, 2009)
45%
40%
36.5%
30%
METHODS
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
This research was supported by a
grant to Dr. Zach Walsh from the
University of British Columbia
Institute for Healthy Living and
Chronic Disease Prevention
This study is a part of the larger Cannabis Access
for Medical Purposes Survey (CAMPS), the largest
and most comprehensive polling of Canadian
medical cannabis patients to date.
25%
Measures: Participant completed online or inperson survey that queried attitudes and behaviors
associated with medical cannabis use, substance
use treatment history, and substitution of cannabis
for alcohol and/or illicit drugs.
Treatment
No Treatment
20%
16.2%
15%
DISCUSSION
5%
1.8%
- Findings indicate that cannabis use is perceived to
substitute for alcohol and other drugs among users
of cannabis for therapeutic purposes
- Clinical implications for those undergoing treatment
for problematic alcohol and illegal drug use
- Findings that substitution was generally consistent
across illnesses and among those with and without
treatment histories suggests good generalizability of
substitution effects
- Highlights importance of research on interaction of
cannabis use with other psychoactive substances
0%
*Alcohol Only
*Illegal Drugs Only
Both
No Substitution
Figure 2: Substituting Cannabis for Alcohol/Illegal Drugs
Across Primary Illness
70.0%
70%
60%
- 55.7% (N=262) report using cannabis as a
substitute for alcohol and/or illegal drugs
- Past/current treatment for substance use
reported by 15.7% (N=74)
- Patients with treatment histories were more likely
to substitute cannabis for illegal drugs than those
without treatment history (X2 = 33.55, p < .01)
- Patients with no treatment history were more
likely to substitute cannabis for alcohol (X2 =
6.00, p < .05)
- Rates of substitution were consistent across
primary illness, with the exception that MS
patients reported significantly lower rates of
substitution (X2 = 5.68, p < .05)
12.2%
10%
65.6%
63.3%
61.7%
60.0%
58.4%
58.3%
55.7%
51.7%
51.1%
50%
40%
Participants: 470 self-selected Canadian adults
who endorsed current medical cannabis use.
27.0%
25.3%
80%
CONTACT
35.1%
35%
It appears that cannabis may provide an alternative
for potentially more harmful substances, and as
such may have a place in harm-reduction strategy.
Zach Walsh
University of British Columbia
[email protected]
RESULTS
REFERENCES
49.3%
48.9%
41.6%
41.7%
40.0%
44.3%
38.3%
36.7%
34.4%
30.0%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Cancer HIV/AIDS
GI
Epilepsy Mental
(N=10) (N=45) (N=32) (N=12) Health
(N=81)
Arthritis
(N=71)
Spinal
Pain
(N=60)
Other
Pain
(N=89)
*MS
All
(N=20) (N=470)
Substitution
No Substitution
Aharonovich, E., Garawi, F., Bisage, A., Brooks, D., Raby, W. N.,
Rubin, E., Nunes, E. V., & Levin, F. R. (2006). Concurrent
cannabis use during treatment for comorbid ADHD and
cocaine dependence: Effects on outcome. The American
Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 32, 629-635.
Hursh, S. R., Galuska, C. M., Winger, G., & Woods, J. H. (2005).
The economics of drug abuse: A quantitative assessment of
drug demand. Molecular Interventions, 5, 20-28.
Lucas, P., Reiman, A., Earleywine, M., McGowan, S. K., Oleson,
M., Coward, M. P., & Thomas, B. (2012). Cannabis as a
substitute for alcohol and other drugs: A dispensary-based
survey of substitution effect in Canadian medical cannabis
patients. Addiction Research and Theory, 1-8.
Reiman, A. (2009). Cannabis as a substitute for alcohol and other
drugs. Harm Reduction Jounral, 6(35).