Research News Roundup: March 27, 2025

Journal: Addictive Behaviors, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108334

Authors: Amanda Y. Kong, Sarah D. Kowitt, Elizabeth O. Halstead, Kristen L. Jarman, Leah M. Ranney, Adam O. Goldstein, & Melissa J. Cox

Abstract:

Background: Little research exists on simultaneous use of multiple substances that pose additive risk for negative health outcomes. We examine rates and sociodemographic and state cannabis legalization status correlates of simultaneous use (i.e., use > 1 substance on the same occasion) and mixing (e.g., co-administration of substances) of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis among a U.S sample of adults who currently use alcohol and combustible tobacco products.

Methods: Using a survey panel, we recruited 1,300 U.S. adults who reported past 30-day use of alcohol and combustible tobacco between June to July 2021. We fit logistic regression models to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics and cannabis legalization status with use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis.

Results: The majority (67%) of participants reported simultaneous alcohol and tobacco use. Over half (55.5%) of tobacco and alcohol co-users reported past 30-day cannabis use, 42.1% reported simultaneous tobacco and cannabis use, and 45% reported mixing tobacco and cannabis in the form of a blunt. Additionally, 36.5% reported simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use, and 33.1% reported simultaneous alcohol and blunt use. Age, race, gender, and income level were associated with simultaneous use of some substances. State cannabis legalization status was not significantly associated with outcomes.

Conclusions: Overall, the prevalence of simultaneous use was high among this U.S. purposive sample of adults who reported current co-use of alcohol and tobacco products. Researchers should consider measuring simultaneous use of substances in samples of co-users, which may inform the efficacy of interventions focused on cessation or harm reduction of substance use.

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Journal: Child Protection and Practice, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025. 100137

Authors: Sarah Font, Melissa Jonson-Reid, & Junlachak Peter Siriprakorn

Abstract:

The number of U.S. adults with substance use disorders has increased rapidly over the past decade, raising concerns about the safety and wellbeing of young children with affected caregivers. There are ongoing debates about which government entities –child welfare agencies, health departments, law enforcement – should be responsible for responding to this problem and how they should respond. Regardless of the responsible entity suggested, myriad challenges inhibit effective responses to this crisis. This article discusses how federal and state agencies are currently responding to children in families affected by substance use, with a particular emphasis on substance-exposed infants. We reflect on three core issues that present a challenge to effective and compassionate care for both infants and their caregivers, including gaps in infrastructure, lack of effective treatment engagement and facilitation strategies, and decentralized and siloed data to evaluate the effects of policy and programmatic changes. We provide recommendations for improving upon the status quo.

To read the full text of the article, please visit the publisher’s website.

Journal: Addictive Behaviors Reports, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.abrep.2025. 100597

Authors: Shannon N. Ogden, Catherine Cortez, Stacy A. Sterling, Stacey E. Alexeeff, Natalie E. Slama, Cynthia I. Campbell, … Kelly C. Young-Wolff

Abstract:

Objective: To identify patterns of adolescent substance use and associated behavioral health characteristics among adolescents.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 167,504 adolescents aged 13–17 who were screened for substance use, mental health symptoms, and interpersonal violence during well-check visits in a large healthcare system in California from 2021 to 2022. We conducted latent class analysis to identify patterns of substance use from four substance use behaviors (past-year alcohol, cannabis, other substance, and close friends’ use). We calculated the prevalence of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, bullying, physical abuse by an adult, sexual violence, and intimate partner violence for each substance use class compared to those with no reported substance use behaviors and estimated adjusted prevalence ratios using modified Poisson regression.

Results: In total, 29,288 (17 %) adolescents reported one or more substance use characteristic. From those, we identified five latent classes with different patterns of substance use: substance use among close friends (37 %), alcohol use (21 %), polysubstance use (20 %), cannabis use and some polysubstance use (18 %), and other substance use (5 %). All classes had higher adjusted prevalence of mental health and interpersonal violence outcomes compared to those with no substance use characteristics, with the greatest differences being among the polysubstance use class.

Conclusions: The high prevalence of mental health and interpersonal violence outcomes among adolescents with substance use, even among those who only report close friends’ substance use, highlights the need for routine screening during well-check visits. Comprehensive routine social and behavioral health screening among adolescents is vital for early identification and

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Journal: Scientific Reports, 2025, doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-91465-3

Authors: Paul S. Regier, Nathan M. Hager, Michael Gawrysiak, Sebastian Ehmann, Hasan Ayaz, Anna Rose Childress, & Yong Fan

Abstract:

Cocaine-use disorder (CUD) affects both structure and function of the brain. A triple network model of large-scale brain networks has been useful for identifying aberrant resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) associated with mental health disorders including addiction. The present study investigated differences between people with CUD vs. controls (CONs) and whether putative differences were associated with drug-use outcomes. Participants with CUD (n = 38) and CONs (n = 34) completed a resting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan. Participants with CUD completed several mental health measures and participated in an 8-week, drug-use outcomes phase. A classification framework based on the triple network model was built, and triple networks (salience [SN], executive control [ECN], default mode [DMN]) and subcortical (striatum [ST], hippocampus/amygdala) regions were identified with the algorithm of group-information-guided independent components analysis (GIG-ICA) and subsequent support-vector machines. This classifier achieved 77.1% accuracy, 73.8% sensitivity, and 80.0% specificity, with an area under the curve of 0.87 for distinguishing CUD vs. CON. The two groups differed in SN-anterior DMN (aDMN) and ECN-aDMN rsFC, with the CUD group exhibiting stronger rsFC compared to CONs. They also differed in rsFC between several subcortical and triple networks, with CUD generally showing a lack of rsFC. Within the CUD group, ST-aDMN and ST-rECN rsFC were associated with differential drug-use outcomes. Exploratory results suggested SN-aDMN rsFC was associated with anxiety symptoms. These results add to the growing literature showing aberrant triple network and subcortical rsFC associated with substance use disorders. They suggest the aDMN specifically may underlie important differences between people with CUD and CONs and may be a potential target for intervention.

To read the full text of the article, please visit the publisher’s website.