Journal: Addictive Behaviors Reports, 2026, doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep. 2026.100732
Authors: Marvin A. Schilt-Solberg, Philip T. Veliz, John Jardine, Yuk C. Pang, Sean Esteban McCabe, Rebecca Evans-Polce, & Megan E. Patrick
Abstract:
Background: Sexual minority (SM; e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual) young adults report elevated substance use, yet few studies examine whether disparities extend to use newly-reported during young adulthood using behaviorally specific measures of daily use and co-use.
Methods: We analyzed Monitoring the Future Longitudinal Panel data (2019–2021; N = 12,173; 14.9% SM). Primary analyses used multivariable logistic regression to estimate incident-use odds during young adulthood among respondents reporting no lifetime alcohol and/or cannabis use at age 18. Outcomes included incident alcohol use, cannabis use, daily cannabis use, and past-30-day alcohol–cannabis co-use, defined as use of both substances in the past 30 days. Secondary analyses estimated prevalence and odds of past-30-day alcohol use, past-2-week binge drinking, past-30-day cannabis use, daily cannabis use, and co-use by sex and sexual identity.
Results: Gay males had the highest observed past-30-day alcohol use (80.8%) and binge drinking (42.1%), while bisexual females had significantly higher binge drinking (37.6%), past-30-day cannabis use (47.8%), daily cannabis use (19.2%), and co-use (40.9%) than heterosexual females. Lesbian females and bisexual males showed elevated prevalence, with more limited incidence elevations. Incident-use models showed elevated odds of newly-reported cannabis use and co-use among gay males and bisexual females; bisexual females also showed elevated odds of newly-reported alcohol use and daily cannabis use. Contrasts between SM subgroups were generally nonsignificant.
Conclusions: Incident-use disparities among SM young adults, particularly gay males and bisexual females, indicate that elevated substance use is not solely carried forward from adolescence. Young adulthood is therefore an important window for subgroup-specific intervention.
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Journal: Cannabis, 2026, doi: 10.26828/cannabis/2026/000360
Authors: Olivia L. Bolts, Lindy K. Howe, Lauren Micalizzi, Eric R. Pedersen, Jane Metrik, Cynthia L. Battle, & Rachel L. Gunn
Abstract:
Objective: Prenatal cannabis use is increasing in prevalence and associated with potential harm to maternal-fetal health. Pregnant individuals who use cannabis seek information about prenatal cannabis use informally (e.g., online) and adopt practices perceived to reduce harm. However, no evidence-based harm reduction interventions address prenatal cannabis use. Cannabis protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are associated with less cannabis use and fewer cannabis-related negative consequences among non-pregnant populations. There is a lack of research exploring PBS during pregnancy.
Method: This study combined two samples of pregnant individuals who use cannabis (N = 48; Mage = 30.33; 2% American Indian or Alaska Native, 2% Asian, 19% Black, 15% multiracial, 58% White). Participants completed the Protective Behavioral Strategies for Marijuana scale (PBSM; Pedersen et al., 2017), adapted for pregnancy, and an open-ended question about prenatal PBS. We examined relationships between prenatal cannabis use, PBS, consequences, and perceived harm of prenatal cannabis use.
Results: Participants reported using PBS (M = 4.07, SD = 0.93) and experiencing consequences in the past 30 days (M = 3.77, SD = 3.30). Higher perceived harm of cannabis to fetal health (B = 0.02, p = .010) and use in later trimesters (second: B = 0.69, p = .011; third: B = 0.82, p = .013) were positively associated with PBS. PBS was associated with lower weekly (IRR = 0.79, 95% CI [0.69, 0.90], p < .001) and daily prenatal cannabis use frequency (IRR = 0.41, 95% CI [0.33, 0.51], p = .001) but was not significantly associated with consequences. Open-ended responses revealed pregnancy-specific practices perceived to reduce harm (e.g., “I had a date set to quit and slowly decreased the amount I was smoking”).
Conclusions: Results underscore the need for harm reduction research and validation of PBS and consequence measures for prenatal cannabis use to support informed decision-making among pregnant individuals who use cannabis.
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Journal: Preventive Medicine Reports, 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2026 .103582
Authors: Meghan M. O’Neil, & Peter Leasure
Abstract:
Objective: This study examined whether primary drug of choice is associated with risk of being injured or threatened by a gun.
Methods: The sample included 401 Medicaid-eligible adults receiving addiction treatment services in the Midwest United States who completed life-course history surveys between 2021 and 2023 as part of the Removing Barriers to Recovery randomized controlled trial. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.
Results: Bivariate analyses showed marginally and statistically significant differences in firearm victimization risk between individuals identifying alcohol as their primary drug of choice and those identifying cocaine, heroin/opioids, or crystal meth. Individuals identifying marijuana as their primary drug of choice had the lowest risk of gun victimization. Differences in drug use behaviors, demographics, family history, housing insecurity, behavioral health history, and criminality helped explain variation in firearm victimization across substances.
Conclusions: Firearm victimization was common among people receiving addiction treatment, though less frequent among those preferring marijuana. Risk did not differ significantly by race or ethnicity. More than 40% of participants reported gun victimization, underscoring firearm violence as a major public health concern for this population and by association, their families.
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Journal: Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.dadr.2026 .100463
Authors: Ryan M. Sullivan, Alexander L. Wallace, Chase A. Shankula, Olivier Celhay, Laura R. Ziemer, Calen J. Smith, … Natasha E. Wade
Abstract:
Background: Adolescent substance use is a continued public health concern. The objective of this manuscript is to detail the prevalence of substance use, polysubstance use, and investigate sex differences in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study from ages 9-17.
Methods: 11,880 youth across the U.S., recruited at ages 9-10, completed annual study visits from September 2016 to January 2024. The ABCD 6.0 data release comprises baseline to year-6 data. Lifetime and annual substance use prevalence rates, sex differences, and polysubstance use are described and analyzed.
Results: Past-year substance use prevalence increased with age; 38% report lifetime use by age 16. Alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine were the most reported substances. There were non-significant differences observed between unweighted trends and census-weighted trends. More boys reported substance use prior to age 12, then from age 13 onward, more girls reported use. Polysubstance use analyses detail the occurrence of the most shared substance use patterns and divergent reports across the sexes.
Conclusions: Descriptively, these prevalence rates mirror other national surveys showing increases in reported use across early adolescence, with alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine being the most used substances. Unique sex differences and polysubstance use prevalence rates are contextualized alongside prior national reports of these behaviors in the U.S. Understanding the latest prevalences, specifically in a well-phenotyped cohort, helps to guide knowledge for continued analysis of antecedents and sequelae of substance use on health.
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Journal: Alcohol Clinical Experimental Research, 2026, doi: 10.1111/acer.70383
Authors: Anna Beth Parlier-Ahmad, Nicole Boss, Amber R. Green, Michelle Eglovitch, Ren Huang, Caitlin E. Martin, Lori Keyser-Marcus, & Dace S. Svikis
Abstract:
Background: Most people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) do not receive treatment. Few digital evidence-based treatments have been tested among community-based samples of people with AUD. The present trial of Computer-Based Training for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT4CBT) (1) assessed CBT4CBT usability and acceptability and (2) explored alcohol-related outcomes by study condition in a non-treatment sample of people with AUD.
Methods: For the current two-arm clinical trial, a non-treatment sample of people with lifetime AUD and current heavy drinking was recruited using ResearchMatch.org and randomized (3:1) to the CBT4CBT program or an assessment-only control, stratified by sex (N = 160 total; CBT: n = 109; Co: n = 51). Study assessments included post-intervention acceptability ratings and self-reported alcohol-related measures administered at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up.
Results: Participants were 68.1% female and 31.9% male, in their early forties (M = 42.6, SD = 15.7, range 19-76 years). Most participants identified as white (65.0%) or Black (27.5%) and non-Latinx (89.4%). Acceptability ratings and usability measures for CBT4CBT were favorable and comparable to studies among clinical treatment samples. Participants in the CBT4CBT group demonstrated faster reductions in the percentage of drinking days and were significantly less likely to report any heavy drinking days than those in the control condition at 1-month follow-up. The CBT4CBT group reported higher recovery scores than the control group.
Conclusions: The present study provides benchmark data on the use of CBT4CBT in a sample of people with AUD not receiving treatment. Findings have important clinical and research implications for expanding the reach of evidence-based addiction treatment beyond traditional treatment settings.
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