Polysubstance Use and Social Sequelae in Women of Reproductive Age with Recent Marijuana Use

TL;DR

This study finds that using multiple drugs with marijuana increases social problems in women of reproductive age.

Contribution

The study identifies the increased risk of social issues from polysubstance use with marijuana in women.

Findings

Nearly 4.5% of women who used marijuana faced social issues regardless of polysubstance use.

Using three or more substances with marijuana triples the odds of social problems.

Polysubstance use significantly raises the risk of legal, relational, and professional issues.

Abstract

Polysubstance use (PSU) involving marijuana among women of reproductive age (WRA) is linked to psychosocial harm, yet research on the combined effects of marijuana with stimulants, opioids, tobacco, and binge drinking remains limited. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of PSU in WRA with past month MJ use and examine the association between PSU status and social sequelae, including getting in trouble with the law, relationship difficulty with others, and lower achievement in job or educational settings, in this group of women. We used data from the United States 2015–2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which included 11,895 non-institutionalized WRA (18–44 years old) with reported use of MJ in the past month. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to describe the sample and assess associations between PSU and social sequelae. Nearly 4.5% of the women who used MJ in the past month had experienced social sequelae regardless of PSU status. Women who used three or more substances along with MJ had the highest adjusted odds (AOR = 3.18, 95% CI 1.90, 5.31) of social sequelae relative to monosubstance MJ users. Concurrent use of multiple substances significantly increased the likelihood of social sequelae among women MJ users.

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