Race/ethnic differences in the association of anxiety, depression, and discrimination with subsequent nicotine and cannabis use among young adults: A prospective longitudinal study

Abstract

Introduction: The shifting patterns in nicotine and cannabis use among young adults is taking place at a time when there is also increased reports of psychosocial stressors such as anxiety, depression, and everyday discrimination. Although race/ethnicity has been found to moderate the impact of psychosocial stressors, there is limited research examining the association of anxiety, depression, and discrimination with patterns of nicotine and/or cannabis product use among diverse young adults.

Methods: Data were from a longitudinal study of 2478 US young adults surveyed between 2019 and 2021. General estimating equation models were used to examine associations of self-reported psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety) and social stressors (discrimination) with substance use (any nicotine and cannabis product use; nicotine and cannabis vaping).

Results: Young adults from different racial/ethnic groups differed significantly in their depression and discrimination scores with young adults of color having higher mean scores. Overall, higher depression and everyday discrimination score was associated with increased odds of past 6-month use of any nicotine/tobacco and cannabis products. Higher generalized anxiety score increased odds of any nicotine/tobacco and dual nicotine and cannabis product use. Higher everyday discrimination score was associated with increased odds nicotine and cannabis vaping overall. Stratified models showed variation in associations among different racial/ethnic groups.

Conclusions: Psychosocial stressors are associated with increased substance use odds among young adults. However, these stressors have a differential impact on substance use odds among young adults from different racial/ethnic contexts.

Keywords: Cannabis; Nicotine; Psychosocial problems; Vaping; Young adults.

Figure 1.

Mean psychological stressor scores across study waves (years) by race/ethnicity Notes: Wave 9 (2019), Wave 10 (2020), and Wave 11(2021). Discrimination scores range from 0–33, depression scores range from 0–30, and generalized anxiety scores range from 0–21.