Date of Publication

2021

Faculty Mentor

Victoria Hart

Abstract

Objective: To examine the relationship between cannabis and alcohol consumption in Vermont; after the legalization of cannabis in 2018.

Methods: We used Vermont's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey; this data included only participants who had reported alcohol use in the past year (n = 3,781). We used multiple linear regression to compare frequency of cannabis use against days per month of alcohol consumption and binomial logistic to compare regression to the frequency in which cannabis was used against the odds of Heavy Alcohol Consumption (HAC).

Results: We found that low and moderate cannabis users had more days of alcohol consumption on average than non-users. High cannabis users, however, had fewer days on average than non-users of cannabis. Additionally, compared to non-users, low, moderate, and high cannabis use was associated with increased odds of HAC.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that cannabis use may be predictive of alcohol consumption, so individuals, clinicians, and policymakers should be aware of how cannabis use could impact a person's overall health picture.

Document Type

Project

Included in

Public Health Commons

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