Trends in Cannabis and Alcohol Use by Sexual Identity in the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2023 Jul 7. doi: 10.15288/jsad.22-00410. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Sexual minority individuals are at substantially elevated risk for both cannabis use disorder (CUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). While recent increases in the legalization of cannabis have been linked to increases in cannabis use (CU) among the general population, few studies have examined if changes in CU and CUD vary by sexual identity. The purpose of the current study is to examine sexual identity differences in trends for CUD and compare them to trends for AUD.

METHODS: We utilized data from 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to examine annual prevalences and year-specific disparities in CU, CUD, heavy episodic drinking (HED), and AUD. We also examined sex-specific sexual identity differences in linear trends for these substance use outcomes over this five-year period.

RESULTS: All groups except lesbian females experienced significant increases in CU rates from 2015 to 2019. Heterosexual males, heterosexual females, and bisexual females also experienced significant increases in CUD rates. In contrast, no group exhibited significant increases in HED or AUD rates. Bisexual women exhibited some of the largest year-specific disparities in CU, CUD as well as the largest growth in disparities across time.

CONCLUSION: The few changes in HED and AUD alongside numerous changes in CU and CUD suggest that changes in CU may be due to legalization of CU in many states during this period. Given profound disparities and increasing rates of CUD affecting bisexual females, further research is needed to identify factors that may explain their disproportionate burden.

PMID:37449947 | DOI:10.15288/jsad.22-00410