Thursday, May 4, 2023 – Seven Hills Conference Center
Public Health
Abstract
Exploring perceptions related to the dual use of tobacco and cannabis among young people
By Ysobelle Flores, Monika Sabelja & Nhi Tran
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Juliana van Olphen
Entry #15
As the legalization of cannabis continues to rise across the country, its use is rising as well. Dual use of cannabis and tobacco is also increasing, yet little is known about user preferences and patterns of dual use. The purpose of the study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and use related to tobacco and cannabis. Forty youth and young adults residing in Berkeley or Oakland were recruited using flyers, social media advertisements and word of mouth. To be eligible, young adult participants had to be between 18 and 24 and had to report using cannabis 3 or more days per week and youth had to be between the ages of 15 and 17, with at least 1+ day of cannabis use per week in the past 6 months. The final sample included 20 young adults and 20 youth who participated in an in-person in-depth interview. Standard qualitative methods were used to analyze the interviews. Themes identified included that participants had a preference for cannabis over tobacco and, in comparisons of the 2 substances, associated tobacco with more negative health effects. Participants also discussed many important benefits of cannabis use. Better understanding young people’s perceptions and practices related to cannabis and tobacco can help inform public education campaigns to increase awareness of the negative health consequences of chronic cannabis use.