Hard Drug Use Research Articles

The Heterogeneous Effects of College Education on Outcomes Related to Deaths of Despair.

College education features prominently in research on determinants of deaths from substance use disorders and self-harm-outcomes collectively referred to as "deaths of despair" (DoD). Limited attention has been given to whether the protective effects of college education on indicators of despair vary by individuals' likelihood of college completion. We use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health for 6,145 individuals to test whether the protective effects of college completion on precursors to DoD vary according to individuals' propensity to attain a college degree. Understanding whether the benefits of college education differ depending on the propensity to complete it is important for designing effective educational policies. Using the heterogeneous treatment effects approach, we find that individuals with a relatively low propensity for graduating from college but who complete it have a lower likelihood of depressive symptoms, binge drinking, prescription drug abuse, and hard drug use.

Relationships Among COVID-19-Related Service Uptake, HIV Status, Drug Use, and COVID-19 Antibody Status Among HIV Testing Intervention Participants in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

People living with HIV (PLWH) and people who use drugs are vulnerable populations who may face barriers to accessing health services and may have irregularities in immune function. People with undiagnosed HIV infection may be particularly likely to have compromised immune function. However, research about whether/how HIV status is related to COVID-19-related health outcomes has been equivocal, and research on the predictors of COVID-19-related health service access/uptake has been limited in Sub-Saharan African settings. Among 470 participants of a peer-recruitment-based HIV-testing intervention in KwaZulu-Natal, we examined whether HIV status and/or hard drug use were associated with uptake of COVID-19 testing and vaccination, and whether they moderated the relationship between COVID-19 vaccination status and COVID-19 IgG antibody status. Women were significantly more likely than men to report testing for COVID-19 (OR = 1.84; p = 0.002) and being vaccinated (OR = 1.79; p = 0.002). Neither HIV status nor drug use was associated with likelihood of getting tested or vaccinated. Vaccinated participants (90% of whom obtained vaccines more than 6 months before the study) were significantly more likely to test positive for COVID-19 IgG antibodies (OR = 6.86; p < 0.0005). This relationship held true for subgroups of PLWH and participants with previously undiagnosed/uncontrolled HIV infection, and was not moderated by HIV status or hard drug use. These findings may suggest that both people who use drugs and PLWH were served as well as other people by KwaZulu-Natal’s COVID-19 response. However, gender-based disparities in COVID-19 service uptake suggest that special care should be taken during future COVID-19 outbreaks or other new epidemics to improve access to related healthcare services among men in this region.

Ethnoracial variation in school victimization and adolescent substance use

Adolescent substance abuse is a pressing public health concern. While a large literature has investigated factors linked to adolescent substance use and its outcomes, less research considers the intersection of race-ethnicity, school victimization, and substance use. The present study uses nationally representative data from the 2009–2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (n = 66,906) and insights from stress process and critical race perspectives to examine ethnoracial variation in associations between school victimization (i.e., bullied, threatened with a weapon, and feeling unsafe on the way to school) and use of substances (i.e., hard drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana). Results showed that all victimization measures were associated with significant increases in using all four substances. Compared with whites, Native Americans experienced higher odds of using most substances while Asians and Blacks were generally less likely to use substances. Race-ethnicity moderated victimization-substance use associations, but patterns diverged based on victimization form and substance under consideration. Threats involving a weapon were linked to greater hard drug use for white and Hispanic adolescents than Blacks. School safety concerns were associated with larger increases in Asian adolescents’ hard drug use than whites, Blacks, and Hispanics, and greater marijuana use for Hispanic and white adolescents relative to Blacks. This study complicates the significance of school victimization for substance use such that race-ethnicity factors to a great extent into the presence of associations.

Mathematical Modeling of the Dynamics of Psychoactive Drug Abuse with Intervention of Control Agencies

Drug abuse continues to pose a significant threat to both developed and developing countries. This paper examines the dynamics of psychoactive drug abuse with intervention of control agencies. The study established that the drug abuse model remains positively invariant over time, as indicated by the positivity of the solutions to the model equations. The study identified both drug abuse endemic and drug abuse free equilibrium states. Basic reproduction number was obtained using the method of next generation matrix. The local stability of the drug abuse free equilibrium state was analyzed using Jacobian method and the analysis showed that the drug abuse free equilibrium state is locally asymptotically stable since all the Eigen values are negative. Similarly, the global stability analysis of the drug abuse free equilibrium state confirmed that the system is globally asymptotically stable. The sensitivity index was computed. The results indicate that parameters with positive sensitivity indices increase the prevalence, while those with negative sensitivity indices decrease it. This suggests that these parameters have the ability to either increase or decrease the persistence of drug abuse in the population. The numerical simulation of the model was performed using MATLAB R2015a software and results show that enlightenment and law enforcement agencies play a vital role in reducing the spread of drug abuse. This research recommends intensification of early enlightenment to curtail the spread of drug abuse. Also making more policies, enactment and enforcement of more laws that will check the use of hard drugs

Pemanfaatan Video Edukasi Dalam Rangka Penguatan Kesadaran Hukum Penggunaan Obat Keras Di SMA N 7 Kota Semarang

Gevaarlijk drugs are drugs that should not be traded freely because hard drugs harm the body if used irrationally. The abuse of hard drugs is often abused by the community, especially students. The method used is to provide assistance with 1 time of counseling, mentoring and 1 evaluation, then the video is shared with students of SMA N 7 Semarang class X to be used and can be spread to other friends. The target of this activity is that SMA 7 students understand hard drugs and be careful in their use. The service implementation team made an educational video that can be used by teenagers to avoid the use of hard drugs. The video was disseminated to students of SMA N 7 Semarang City with the result that there was an increase in knowledge about the dangers of irrational use of hard drugs, and sanctions when vibrating hard drugs. Increasing knowledge about the dangers of irrational use of hard drugs and sanctions for abusers is very important for the community, especially adolescents, to improve the morale of the nation.

Hard drugs use and tooth wear: a scoping review.

This study aims to map evidence on the relationship between hard drug use and dental wear. The scoping review is guided by the question: What is the relationship between hard drug consumption and dental wear? Adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, searches were conducted across PubMed, Embase, and four databases in March 2024. Inclusion criteria included studies investigating the association between hard drug use and dental wear, regardless of publication date or language. Data were presented through narrative exposition, tables, and a conceptual framework. Twenty-eight studies (four case-control, three cross-sectional, five case reports, and sixteen literature reviews) were included. Among case-control studies, 75% observed an association between drug use and dental erosion; however, no cross-sectional studies demonstrated this association. Despite questionable quality, reviews established connections between drug use and dental erosion. Studies aimed to elucidate potential causes for dental erosion. Analysis suggests a potential link between hard drug use and dental wear, though indirect. Factors like bruxism and reduced salivary pH may contribute to dental wear among drug users. Further investigation through primary studies exploring this relationship is necessary. Dentists should focus not only on clinical characteristics of dental wear but also on mediating factors such as bruxism and decreased salivary pH associated with drug use. This holistic approach allows for a deeper understanding of dental wear mechanisms, enabling targeted preventive and therapeutic interventions.

Understanding marijuana use initiation vs. frequency of use on risk for hallucinogen use: testing for mediating mechanisms underlying the gateway hypothesis

ABSTRACT The gateway hypothesis posits that marijuana use initiation may lead to neurological changes predisposing individuals to escalation to harder drug use later on. However, there is limited research, which has examined marijuana as a gateway drug leading to hallucinogen use and examination of mechanisms linking the two drug use behaviors. This study examined marijuana use as a predictor of hallucinogen use and tested for mediation via social, affective, and cognitive mechanisms. The Pathways to Desistance data were analyzed. This is a longitudinal dataset comprised a sample of 1,354 justice-involved youth. Path analyses were used to test for direct and indirect effects of interest. Findings indicated that elevated marijuana use frequency prior to baseline was a significant predictor of increased log-odds of later hallucinogen use. None of sensation-seeking, impulse control, nor deviant peer association significantly mediated this relationship. Ever having used marijuana prior to baseline was not significantly related to later hallucinogen use risk and no mediation effects were identified for this independent variable. Results indicated that higher frequency marijuana use may result in gateway effects for later hallucinogen use. Both marijuana use variables were also statistically significant predictors of increased sensation-seeking, diminished impulse control, and greater deviant peer association.

Researchers: Drug destigmatization is actually exacerbating harm

The co‐author of a widely shared article in which he argues that the move to destigmatize the use of hard drugs has gone too far said many field professionals have told him that he has aired concerns they have been afraid to voice.

Chronic comorbid conditions and asthma exacerbation occurrence in a general population sample

Chronic comorbid conditions are common in adults with asthma, and some may influence a patient’s asthma exacerbation risk. We explored associations between eighteen chronic comorbid conditions and asthma exacerbation occurrence in adults with asthma in a cross-sectional study nested within a cohort study using data from the two-yearly US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) program. Data of 2387 adults with self-reported doctor-diagnosed current asthma from the 2007 to 2018 NHANES surveys were selected. Investigated chronic comorbidities were: angina pectoris; congestive heart failure; coronary heart disease; depression; diabetes mellitus; soft and hard drug use; gastroesophageal reflux; gout; history of heart attack; history of stroke; hypercholesterolemia; hypertension; kidney failure; liver conditions; obesity; rheumatoid arthritis; and thyroid problems. Outcome was defined as asthma exacerbation category: no, moderate, or severe exacerbation(s) in the past year. Ordinal logistic regression analysis with correction for potential confounders was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) for moderate or severe exacerbations. Observed associations with increased severe asthma exacerbation occurrence were: obesity (OR = 1.67; 95% confidence interval 1.24, 2.26), and rheumatoid arthritis (OR = 1.55; 1.04, 2.30). History of stroke (OR = 1.95; 1.22, 3.11) and rheumatoid arthritis (OR = 1.33; 1.00, 1.75) showed associations with increased moderate exacerbation occurrence. Age-stratified analysis showed soft drug use, obesity, depression, thyroid problems, and rheumatoid arthritis to be associated with moderate and/or severe exacerbation occurrence in one or more 10-year age strata. In conclusion, several chronic comorbid conditions were associated with asthma exacerbation occurrence, which confirms but also complements previous studies. Our observations contribute to understanding exacerbation risk estimation and, ultimately, personalized asthma management.

Substance Use Patterns and Their Association with Depression and Social Factors During COVID-19 Among Harlem Residents in New York City

This study aimed to identify the prevalence of substance use before and during COVID-19; and examined its association with depression and social factors among 437 residents from the neighborhood of Harlem in Northern Manhattan, New York City. Over a third of respondents reported using any substance before COVID-19, and initiating/increasing substance use during COVID-19. The most common substances used before COVID-19 and initiated/increased during COVID-19 were smoking (20.8% vs. 18.3%), marijuana (18.8% vs. 15.3%), and vaping (14.2% and 11.4%). The percentages of any hard drug use were 7.3% and 3.4%, respectively. After adjustment, residents with mild (Prevalence Ratio [PR] = 2.86, 95% CI 1.65, 4.92) and moderate (PR = 3.21, 95% CI 1.86, 5.56) symptoms of depression, and housing insecurity (PR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.12, 1.91) had at least a 47% greater probability of initiating and/or increasing substance use. Conversely, respondents with employment insecurity (PR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.57, 0.88) were 29% less likely to report such patterns. No association was found between substance use initiation and/or increase and food insecurity. High prevalence of substance use during COVID-19 may lead residents to turn to substance use as a coping mechanism for psychosocial stressors. Thus, it is essential to provide accessible and culturally sensitive mental health and substance use services.

Childhood social capital and drug use disorder in adulthood: A retrospective study on antecedent determinants of the type of drug use.

Based on a sample of Danish adults who were enroled in treatment for drug use disorders as a prerequisite for qualifying for receiving unemployment benefits, we analyse the relationship between low social capital in childhood (LSCC) and the type of drug use in adulthood. The type of drug use is measured by distinguishing between those who were treated for using hard drugs (e.g., heroin and cocaine) and those who were treated for using soft drugs (cannabis). Extracting data from the initial treatment registration report, social capital is operationalised into seven different LSCC categories, and the total number of LSCC (the LSCC score) is recorded. Based on logistic regressions, the LSCC score shows a strong graded dose-response relationship with hard drug use. With each additional LSCC, the probability of being treated for hard drug use increases with 9%. Parental child abuse is the most important single predictor of being treated for hard drug use. Having been parentally abused as a child raises the probability by 32%. The results hold after controlling for age, initiation age, and number of years of drug use, all of which show a significant reversed U-shaped relationship with hard drug use.

HIV/STI/HCV Risk Clusters and Hierarchies Experienced by Women Recently Released from Incarceration.

This study examines cross-sectional clusters and longitudinal predictions using an expanded SAVA syndemic conceptual framework-SAVA MH + H (substance use, intimate partner violence, mental health, and homelessness leading to HIV/STI/HCV risks)-among women recently released from incarceration (WRRI) (n = 206) participating in the WORTH Transitions (WT) intervention. WT combines two evidence-based interventions: the Women on the Road to Health HIV intervention, and Transitions Clinic. Cluster analytic and logistic regression methods were utilized. For the cluster analyses, baseline SAVA MH + H variables were categorized into presence/absence. For logistic regression, baseline SAVA MH + H variables were examined on a composite HIV/STI/HCV outcome collected at 6-month follow-up, controlling for lifetime trauma and sociodemographic characteristics. Three SAVA MH + H clusters were identified, the first of which had women with the highest overall levels of SAVA MH + H variables, 47% of whom were unhoused. Hard drug use (HDU) was the only significant predictor of HIV/STI/HCV risks in the regression analyses. HDUs had 4.32-fold higher odds of HIV/STI/HCV outcomes than non-HDUs (p = 0.002). Interventions such as WORTH Transitions must differently target identified SAVA MH + H syndemic risk clusters and HDU to prevent HIV/HCV/STI outcomes among WRRI.

Direct Effects of Cannabis Intoxication on Motivations for Softer and Harder Drug Use: An Experimental Approach to the Gateway Hypothesis.

Aims: This study experimentally tested whether there is a gateway-type effect of cannabis administration on tobacco and cocaine motivation and whether motivational responses predicted use 6 months later. Methods: A 2 (condition: active cannabis vs. placebo joint)×3 (substance stimulus type: tobacco, cannabis, and cocaine) factor within-subjects design for both implicit and explicit motivation. Both experimental sessions were conducted in a cannabis dispensary ("coffeeshop") in Amsterdam and were separated by ∼1 week, followed by a 6-month online follow-up. Eighty-five participants between 18 and 27 years of age (57% male), who used cannabis, tobacco, and cocaine <15 times per month, participated in session 1 (session 2: N=79 and follow-up: N=81). Counterbalanced over sessions, participants smoked an active and a placebo joint following a paced puffing procedure. Before and after smoking, craving and avoidance (explicit motivation) were assessed using visual analog scales, and after smoking, the stimulus response compatibility test was completed to assess approach biases (implicit motivation). Self-reported intoxication and similarity to their usual smoking experience were assessed at the end of both sessions. Self-reported frequency/quantity and dependence symptoms for tobacco, cannabis, and cocaine were assessed at all time points. A linear mixed model approach was used to assess the effects of condition, substance stimulus type, and their interactions on explicit and implicit motivation. Results: In the active condition, participants reported higher levels of intoxication and an experience more similar to their usual smoking experience than in the placebo condition. There was no significant effect of condition, substance type, or their interaction on approach bias. Participants exhibited increased cannabis craving during the placebo condition only and increased explicit cannabis avoidance during the active condition only. Explicit tobacco avoidance decreased during both conditions. Baseline measures did not predict use at 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: In light users, cannabis intoxication did not affect implicit and explicit tobacco or cocaine motivations. Tobacco avoidance decreased regardless of condition, indicating that the cannabis cue-rich setting-rather than tetrahydrocannabinol itself-may momentarily increase the likelihood to smoke tobacco. However, motivation at baseline did not predict use 6 months later, deeming any gateway-like function unlikely.

Sexual Violence against Women in STEM: A Test of Backlash Theory Among Undergraduate Women.

It has been argued that increasing the number of women in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields could mitigate violence against women by advancing gender equality. However, some research points to a "backlash" effect wherein gains in gender equality are associated with heighted sexual violence (SV) against women. In this study, we compare SV against undergraduate women majoring in STEM disciplines to those majoring in non-STEM disciplines. Data were collected between July and October of 2020 from undergraduate women (N = 318) at five institutions of higher education in the United States. Sampling was stratified by STEM versus non-STEM majors and male-dominated versus gender-balanced majors. SV was measured using the revised Sexual Experiences Survey. Results indicated that women majoring in STEM disciplines that are gender balanced reported more SV victimization in the form of sexual coercion, attempted sexual coercion, attempted rape, and rape compared to their peers in both gender-balanced and male-dominated non-STEM and male-dominated STEM majors. These associations held even after controlling for age, race/ethnicity, victimization prior to college, sexual orientation, college binge drinking, and hard drug use during college. These data suggest that the risk of repeated SV victimization within STEM populations may be a threat to sustained gender parity in these fields and ultimately to gender equality and equity. Gender balance in STEM should not be furthered without addressing the potential use of SV as a potential means of social control over women.

Is the Effect of Parenting on Substance Use among Adolescents and Young Adults Context Dependent? Evidence from Ten Countries of Southeastern Europe

Related to some inconsistent evidence in the literature, the current study tested the links between three parenting styles and four measures of substance use in samples of adolescents and young adults from ten, socio-economically diverse countries in Southeastern Europe (N = 10,909, 50.3% males, Mage = 21.70, SD = 4.5); it also tested whether these links were moderated by a measure of social progress. Results indicated that only authoritative parenting style was negatively associated with substance use; both authoritarian and permissive parenting styles were positively associated with substance use. The country-level effect on substance use was modest, yet significant; it explained between 1% and 4% of the total variance. Findings also provided some evidence of a moderation effects by social progress. Exploratory follow-up HLM analyses also provided evidence of significant country level social progress effects on alcohol use, soft drug use, and hard drug use; however, no significant cross-level interactions effects were found. Key study implications include positive effects by both authoritarian and permissive parenting on young adult substance use, but importantly, negative ones by authoritative parenting. Findings have important implications for potential intervention and prevention efforts, in addition to addressing potential country-level differences.

Reward sensitivity across the lifespan in males and females and its associations with psychopathology

Most studies on the relationship between reward sensitivity and psychopathology have focused on one condition at a time and have not considered potential sex or lifespan differences. Using nonlinear modeling, we explored reward sensitivity normative patterns across the lifespan (age range: 4–91; N = 37,727) for men and women, and subsequently studied its sex-specific associations with psychopathology problems (inattention, hyperactivity, autism spectrum, reactive aggression, depression, anxiety, smoking, and alcohol, soft and hard drug use). Findings indicated a nonlinear trend for reward sensitivity across the lifespan: within childhood, adolescence, middle-age adulthood, and older adulthood, older individuals scored lower compared to younger ones, with no age differences beyond age 70. Across young adulthood, older males scored higher and females presented no age differences. Reward sensitivity was positively associated with all psychopathology problem domains studied and associations were clustered into three groups: neurodevelopmental, with stronger associations in young age and more lifespan similarity in males; internalizing, with stronger associations in young and middle adulthood and in females; and substance use, with mostly similar associations across the lifespan and virtually no sex differences. In conclusion, reward sensitivity is transdiagnostically relevant for psychopathology, with specific lifespan and sex patterns within the neurodevelopmental, internalizing, and substance use problems.

Linking minority stress to substance abuse in LGB adults: the mediating effect of sexual harassment.

Objective: Employing a psychological mediation framework, the study investigated the interaction between minority stress and psychoactive substance abuse mediated by sexual harassment among LGB individuals. Method: One hundred and forty-seven LGB individuals answered a questionnaire measuring internalized homophobia, concealment, discrimination, sexual harassment, and psychoactive substance abuse. Logistic hierarchical regression models were conducted to test the proposed relations and mediating hypotheses. Findings: Incidents of discrimination and internalized homophobia correlated with cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking. Sexual harassment was related to the use of cannabis and hard drugs. Sexual harassment mediated the relationships between the dimensions of minority stress and the use of cannabis and hard drugs. Conclusion: Minority stress appears to be linked directly and indirectly, via sexual harassment, to the use of psychoactive substances by LGB individuals. Interventions addressing the prevention or mitigation of sexual harassment experienced by LGB individuals are likely to attenuate the negative effects of minority stress on their levels of substance use.

Prospective associations between traditional masculinity and cannabis, hard drug, and alcohol use in Australian emerging adult men

The current study assessed the association between traditional masculine norms and cannabis use, hard drug use (e.g., amphetamines and cocaine), and hazardous alcohol use at two-year follow-up. The sample comprised 2170 Australian emerging adult men (18–29 years old) who completed Wave 1 (2013–2014) and Wave 2 (2015–2016) of the Ten to Men: The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health survey. Lagged logistic regressions showed that the playboy (Odds Ratio [OR] ranging 1.30–1.65) and risk-taking (OR ranging 1.35–1.96) norms conveyed risk for each of hazardous alcohol use, cannabis use, and hard drug use at two-year follow-up. Several outcome-specific findings were also demonstrated across the hegemonically-masculine norms, with increased adherence to certain hegemonically-masculine norms conveying risk for engagement in substance use in emerging adult men. These findings suggest that treatments focusing on improving social supports might help emerging men avoid substance abuse issues.

Understanding the Changing Social and Health Circumstances of Women Leaving Jail: A Social Support Analysis

Borrowing insights from Cullen’s Theory of Social Support to explain the association between women’s instrumental social supports and health risks over time, we analyzed data collected from 254 women who completed all waves (completers) or some but not all waves (non-completers) of follow-up data collection at 0, 12, 24, and 36 months. Trajectory and mixed model analyses showed that after release from jail, women had improvements in employment and transportation and reductions in exchange of sex for resources, alcohol use, hard drug use, and substance dependence. We provide a framework from which in-jail and community-based programs can draw from.

Drug use talk in adolescent friendship interactions: Long-term effects of social learning on lifetime diagnosed substance use disorders.

Adolescence is a critical period of substance use and substance use disorders (SUD). Social exchanges within the context of adolescent friendships are key to understanding peer influences on the development of SUD. In this study we tested whether dyadic conversations between friends at age 17 are predictive of lifetime SUD diagnosis assessed at age 27. In controlled lab sessions, we observed conversations of 497 17-year-old adolescents and a friend. We coded the general way adolescents talk about deviant actions (i.e., deviancy training), but also specific positive talk about drugs (i.e., drug use talk). At age 27, a diagnostic interview was completed to assess lifetime SUD. Independent sample t-tests (in a selection of substance naïve participants to rule out that potential links would be driven by previous substance use) and structural equation modeling (integrated models, controlling for relevant covariates) were used to test whether deviancy training and/or drug use talk were predictive of lifetime SUD-diagnosis 10 years later. No significant links were found between deviancy training and SUD. Independent sample t-tests and integrated models showed significant associations between drug use talk about alcohol and alcohol use disorder and between drug use talk about cannabis use and cannabis use disorder. The link between talking about hard drugs and hard drug use disorder was marginally significant. Findings illustrate the risk of adolescent social learning in drug use talk with friends based on only 10 minutes of interaction, on the prediction of lifetime SUD assessed 10 years later and informs early interventions to curtail development of SUD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).