Problem gambling severity, gambling behavior, substance use, and mental health in gamblers who do and do not use cannabis: Evidence from a Canadian national sample (original) (raw)
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Current Addiction Reports, 2020
Purpose of the Review Given recent changes in cannabis legalization across North America, understanding cannabis-gambling relationships is of increasing interest. This review examines the current state of the research literature on the co-occurrence of cannabis and gambling. Specifically, the relationship between cannabis and gambling is examined in youth, adults, treatmentseeking individuals, as well as in specific populations. Recent Findings Literature search findings show that the majority of studies to date examining gambling and cannabis are epidemiological investigations conducted in youth. Overall, studies suggest a link between cannabis and gambling, whereby engaging in any form of gambling is linked with cannabis use; moreover, increasing problem gambling severity is associated with cannabis use. The literature search revealed no studies that systematically investigate simultaneous cannabis use during gambling in gambling populations. Summary Findings from the current review demonstrate high rates of co-occurrence between cannabis use and gambling, albeit less information on simultaneous use exists. An important research priority for informing policy, therefore, is a better understanding of cannabis' effects on decision-making and risky behaviours. Findings from the current review highlight that these behaviours begin in youth even before reaching high school. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the epidemiology of gambling-cannabis relationships, nevertheless, initial findings suggest that early gambling behaviour may serve as an important behavioural marker. Altogether, the findings demonstrate that regulatory frameworks should not only consider cannabis co-use with other substances but also a need to include other addictive behaviours, such as gambling.
Journal of behavioral addictions, 2014
Background and aims: Gambling is common in adolescents and at-risk and problem/pathological gambling (ARPG) is associated with adverse measures of health and functioning in this population. Although ARPG commonly co-occurs with marijuana use, little is known how marijuana use influences the relationship between problem-gambling severity and health-and gambling-related measures. Methods: Survey data from 2,252 Connecticut high school students were analyzed using chi-square and logistic regression analyses. Results: ARPG was found more frequently in adolescents with lifetime marijuana use than in adolescents denying marijuana use. Marijuana use was associated with more severe and a higher frequency of gambling-related behaviors and different motivations for gambling. Multiple health/functioning impairments were differentially associated with problem-gambling severity amongst adolescents with and without marijuana use. Significant marijuana-use-by-problem-gambling-severity-group interactions were observed for low-average grades (OR = 0.39, 95% CI = [0.20, 0.77]), cigarette smoking (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = [0.17, 0.83]), current alcohol use (OR = 0.36, 95% CI = [0.14, 0.91]), and gambling with friends (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = [0.28, 0.77]). In all cases, weaker associations between problem-gambling severity and health/functioning correlates were observed in the marijuana-use group as compared to the marijuana-non-use group. Conclusions: Some academic, substance use, and social factors related to problem-gambling severity may be partially accounted for by a relationship with marijuana use. Identifying specific factors that underlie the relationships between specific attitudes and behaviors with gambling problems and marijuana use may help improve intervention strategies.
This study describes sociodemographic and substance use correlates of gambling behav- iors, measured among 9,481 past-year gamblers from the Canadian general population. Compared to non-problem gamblers in this study (N = 8,035), the 98 problem gamblers who scored 8 or more points on the Canadian Problem Gambling Research Index were more likely to report being “drunk or high” while gambling (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 8.92; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.46,14.55; p < .001), to admit to having an alcohol or drug problem (AOR: 3.80; 95% CI:2.21,6.52; p < .001), and to use electronic gambling devices (AOR: 4.85; 95% CI: 3.08-7.66; p< .001).
“Predictors of Gambling and Problem Gambling in Canada.”
Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2021
Objectives The purpose of this study is to provide an updated profile of gamblers and problem gamblers in Canada and to identify characteristics most strongly associated with problem gambling. Methods An assessment of gambling participation and problem gambling was included in the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey and administered to 23,952 individuals 18 years and older. Descriptive statistics provided a demographic profile for each type of gambling involvement as well as category of gambler (non-gambler, non-problem gambler, at-risk gambler, problem gambler). A logistic regression identified characteristics that best distinguished problem from non-problem gamblers. Results Gambling participation and problem gambling both varied as a function of gender, income, educational attainment, and race/ethnicity. However, multivariate analysis identified electronic gambling machine (EGM) participation to be the primary predictor of problem gambling status, with race/ethnicity, presence of a mood disorder, male gender, casino table game participation, older age, a greater level of smoking, participation in speculative financial activity, instant lottery participation, lower household income, and lottery or raffle ticket participation providing additional predictive power. Provincial EGM density and EGM participation rates are also very strong predictors of provincial rates of at-risk and problem gambling. Conclusion Problem gambling has a biopsychosocial etiology, determined by personal vulnerability factors combined with the presence of riskier types of gambling such as EGMs. Effective prevention requires a multifaceted approach, but constraints on the availability and operation of EGMs would likely have the greatest single public health benefit.
Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2012
Introduction: Numerous epidemiological and clinical studies have found that tobacco use and gambling frequently cooccur. Despite high rates of smoking among regular gamblers, the extent to which tobacco potentially infl uences gambling behavior and vice versa is poorly understood. The current study aimed to provide more insight into this relationship by directly comparing nonsmoking and smoking gamblers on gambling behavior, problem gambling indices, and reasons for gambling. Methods: The data for this study came from the 2005 Newfoundland and Labrador Gambling Prevalence Study. Gamblers identifi ed as nonsmokers (N = 997) were compared with gamblers who smoke (N = 622) on numerous gamblingrelated variables. Chi-square analyses were used to compare groups on demographic variables. Associations between smoking status and gambling criteria were assessed with a series of binary logistic regressions. Results: The regression analyses revealed several significant associations between smoking status and past 12-month gambling. Higher problem gambling severity scores, use of alcohol/drugs while gambling, amount of money spent gambling, use of video lottery terminals, and reasons for gambling which focused on positive reinforcement/reward and negative reinforcement/relief were all associated with smoking. Conclusions: The findings suggest an association between smoking and potentially problematic gambling in a populationbased sample. More research focused on the potential reinforcing properties of tobacco on the development and treatment of problematic gambling is needed.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2009
Background: Although recreational gambling is prevalent and co-occurs with substance abuse/dependence, few studies have investigated the relationship between the two. Methods: Logistic regression analyses were performed on data from a nationally representative sample from the Gambling Impact and Behavior Study. Results: Substance-abusing recreational gamblers, as compared to non-substance-abusing ones, differed in gambling motivations, began gambling at earlier ages, reported heavier gambling, and preferred and performed strategic forms of gambling. Conclusions: As compared with non-substance-abusing gamblers, substance-abusing gamblers demonstrated different gambling profiles including heavier gambling. These findings suggest the need for additional research on whether and how substance use might promote gambling and vice versa.
Journal of Gambling Issues, 2010
We examined at-risk, problem, or pathological gambling co-occurrence with frequency of past-year alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use; depressive symptoms; and arrest history. Data included the responses of over 3,000 individuals who participated in a 2006 telephone survey designed to understand the extent of at-risk, problem, and pathological gambling; comorbidity levels with substance use; mental health; and social problems among Southwestern U.S. residents. Data were analyzed with multinomial and bivariate logistic regression. Respondents at risk for problem gambling were more likely to use alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana than those respondents not at risk. Pathological gamblers were no more or less likely to consume alcohol or tobacco than were non-gamblers or those not at risk. A dose-response relationship existed between degree of gambling problems and depressive symptoms and arrest history. Interventions for at-risk or problem gamblers need to include substance use treatment, and the phenomenon of low levels of substance use among pathological gamblers needs further exploration.