What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: Addiction, Mental Health.

Where was this research published?

Published in Substance use & misuse on July 19, 2026.

Using cannabis first was linked to lighter drinking on mixed-use days

Q: What did this research study find?

Students drank more on *simultaneous alcohol-cannabis use days* than on alcohol-only days, averaging **5.08 versus 4.23 drinks**.

Using Alcohol First Predicts Heavier Drinking on Simultaneous Alcohol and Cannabis Use Days, with no Evidence for Moderation by Coping or Enhancement Motives.

Substance use & misuse • July 19, 2026 • Highly Relevant

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AI Summary

This 14-weekend daily-diary study followed 370 undergraduate students to compare drinking on alcohol-only days with days when alcohol and cannabis were both used. Alcohol consumption was higher on simultaneous-use days: students reported an average of 5.08 drinks, compared with 4.23 drinks on alcohol-only days.

The order of use also mattered. On simultaneous-use days, using cannabis first was associated with about 1.4 fewer drinks than using alcohol first. However, this association did not vary according to daily coping or enhancement motives. The findings suggest that using cannabis first may be linked to lighter drinking in mixed-use situations, although factors such as mood and whether someone is alone or with others may help explain the pattern. The study shows an association, not proof that cannabis directly reduces alcohol consumption.

💡 Key Findings

Students drank more on simultaneous alcohol-cannabis use days than on alcohol-only days, averaging 5.08 versus 4.23 drinks.

Good

78%

Using cannabis first was associated with about 1.4 fewer drinks than using alcohol first on simultaneous-use days.

Good

78%

The link between order of use and drinking did not depend on daily coping or enhancement motives.

Good

72%

The study suggests that mood and social setting may help explain lighter drinking on cannabis-first days, but these possible explanations were not directly established.

Moderate

55%

📄 Original Abstract

Simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use is a common type of polysubstance use among young adults. Depending on the substance used first, the amount of alcohol consumed might vary. Coping or enhancement motives endorsed on simultaneous use days might also impact alcohol consumption differently. This study examined whether alcohol use differed on alcohol-only versus simultaneous use days, and whether using alcohol versus cannabis first on a simultaneous use day predicted heavier alcohol consumption. We also examined whether differences in alcohol consumption depended on daily levels of coping or enhancement motives. Undergraduate students (n = 370; Mage=20.8; SD = 1.5) completed a 14-weekend daily diary study in Fall 2021. Surveys administered Friday to Sunday mornings measured alcohol use, cannabis use, their order of use, number of drinks consumed, and motives for simultaneous use. Analyses were restricted to alcohol-only and simultaneous use days (n = 2826/9017; 31.3%). Multilevel models showed that students consumed more alcohol on simultaneous use days (Mdrinks=5.08) than alcohol-only days (Mdrinks=4.23). Students also consumed about 1.4 fewer drinks when cannabis was used first compared to when alcohol was used first on simultaneous use days. However, the effect of order of use on alcohol consumption did not depend on daily levels of coping or enhancement motives. Using cannabis first on simultaneous use days was associated with less drinking, an effect not apparently linked to situational drinking motives. Contextual factors associated with cannabis use such as affect (e.g., negative or positive) and setting (e.g., alone or with others) may explain lighter drinking on cannabis-first simultaneous use days.