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. 2022 May;62(5):661-669.
doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2021.11.009. Epub 2022 Feb 8.

Simultaneous Alcohol/Cannabis Use and Driving Under the Influence in the U.S

Priscila D Gonçalves  1 , Sarah Gutkind  2 , Luis E Segura  2 , João M Castaldelli-Maia  2 , Silvia S Martins  2 , Pia M Mauro  2
Affiliations

Simultaneous Alcohol/Cannabis Use and Driving Under the Influence in the U.S

Priscila D Gonçalves et al. Am J Prev Med. 2022 May.

Abstract

Introduction: Alcohol and cannabis are commonly involved in motor vehicle crashes and fatalities. This study examines whether simultaneous use of alcohol/cannabis is associated with higher odds of reporting driving under the influence of alcohol and cannabis in the U.S.

Methods: Drivers aged ≥16 years with any past-year alcohol and cannabis use in the 2016-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (N=34,514) reported any past-year driving under the influence of alcohol-only, cannabis-only, both alcohol/cannabis, or not driving under the influence. Survey-weighted associations between simultaneous alcohol/cannabis use and each of the driving under the influence outcomes were computed adjusting for sociodemographics and daily alcohol/cannabis use. Analyses were conducted from November 2020 to September 2021.

Results: In 2016-2019, 42% of drivers with past-year alcohol and cannabis use reported driving under the influence (8% alcohol-only, 20% cannabis-only, 14% alcohol/cannabis). Simultaneous alcohol/cannabis use was associated with 2.88-times higher adjusted odds of driving under the influence of cannabis-only (95% CI=2.59, 3.19) and 3.51-times higher adjusted odds of driving under the influence of both alcohol/cannabis (95% CI=3.05, 4.05), compared to not driving under the influence. Associations with driving under the influence of alcohol-only were unexpectedly in the opposite direction (adjusted conditional odds ratio=0.59, 95% CI=0.45, 0.79).

Conclusions: Overall, 2 in 5 drivers who used alcohol and cannabis reported driving under the influence of alcohol and/or cannabis. People reporting simultaneous alcohol/cannabis use were more likely to report cannabis-related driving under the influence. Prevention strategies should target individuals reporting simultaneous alcohol/cannabis use to reduce the occurrence of driving under the influence.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Proportion of self-report driving under the influence of alcohol only, cannabis only and alcohol and cannabis, and alcohol and cannabis use patterns in each DUI outcome category. Notes: The figure a refers to the proportion of DUI in each category. The figures b, c and d describe the proportions of daily alcohol use, daily cannabis use, and simultaneous alcohol/cannabis use, and the error bars in the lines refer to CIs. DUI, driving under the influence; DUI-A, DUI of alcohol-only; DUI-C, DUI of cannabis-only; DUI-A/C, reporting both DUI of alcohol and DUI of cannabis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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