The gateway effect of cigarette, e-cigarette, cigar, and alcohol use vs. Cannabis use.

BACKGROUND

While the gateway hypothesis suggests that using tobacco and alcohol increases likelihood of initiating cannabis, cannabis use may precede and increase other substance use. We examined gateway effects of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, and alcohol on cannabis use, and reverse associations.

METHODS

We analyzed 2023 survey data from 4,031 US young adults (M = 26.29, 60 % female, 19 % Hispanic, 14 % Black, 14 % Asian). Discrete-time survival analysis assessed hazards of initiating cannabis based on self-reported age of initiating other substances, and vice versa. Time(age)-lagged predictors indicated whether participants had initiated the other substances by one year younger, accounting for sociodemographics; state non-medical cannabis laws; lifetime depression, anxiety, or attention deficit disorder [ADD]) diagnoses; and personality characteristics.

RESULTS

Lifetime use was: 68 % for cannabis, 45 % cigarettes, 49 % e-cigarettes, 31 % cigars, and 85 % alcohol. Past-year cigarette, e-cigarette, cigar, and alcohol initiation increased hazards of initiating cannabis (adjusted Hazard Ratio, aHR = 3.78, 95 %CI = 3.39-4.22; aHR = 2.17, 95 %CI = 1.86-2.53; aHR = 2.90, 95 %CI = 2.45-3.43; aHR = 3.41, 95 %CI = 3.11-3.75, respectively). Past-year cannabis initiation increased hazards of other substance initiation (cigarettes: aHR = 3.51, 95 %CI = 3.11-3.96; e-cigarettes: aHR = 3.73, 95 %CI = 3.34-4.17; cigars: aHR = 3.66, 95 %CI = 3.20-4.18; alcohol: aHR = 3.07, 95 %CI = 2.73-3.45). Associations were generally stronger when initiation occurred at ages 5-18 vs. > 18. Depression predicted cannabis initiation; anxiety and ADD predicted e-cigarette initiation. Certain personality characteristics were protective against initiation (agreeableness and conscientiousness for each, openness for cigarettes and cigars, emotional stability for cannabis, cigarettes, and cigars); extraversion increased hazards of initiating cannabis and e-cigarettes.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions should target underlying mechanisms influencing the use of various substances, such as mental health and personality characteristics, especially among adolescents.