Chasing the Bean: Prescription Drug Smoking among Socially Active Youth

PURPOSE:

Alternative consumption practices of prescription drug misuse have been less well monitored than general prevalence. We describe prescription drug smoking among socially active youth and highlight correlates of this practice. We also examine its association with drug problems, drug dependence, and mental health.

METHODS:

We surveyed 404 young adults recruited from nightlife venues in New York via time-space sampling. We use linear and logistic regression models to examine the probability of smoking prescription drugs and its association with drug problems, dependence, and mental health. Qualitative findings supplement the survey data.

RESULTS:

Males have higher odds than females (odds ratio [OR] = 3.4), and heterosexuals have higher odds than sexual minority youth (OR = 2.3) of smoking prescription drugs. Those involved in electronic dance music nightlife have higher odds (OR = 2.1) than those who do not participate in that scene, whereas those in college bar scenes have lower odds (OR = .4) of having smoked prescription drugs. Prescription drug smokers report more drug problems (β = .322) and greater symptoms of dependence net (β = .298) of the frequency of misuse and other characteristics. Prescription drug smokers do not report greater mental health problems. Qualitative interview data support these survey findings.

CONCLUSIONS:

Prescription drug smoking is a significant drug trend among socially active youth. It is associated with drug problems and symptoms of dependence net of frequency of misuse. Prevention and intervention efforts for youth who misuse prescription drugs should address the issue of prescription drug smoking, and this may be an area for clinicians to address with their adolescent patients.

...In terms of escalation to smoking prescription drugs, our results demonstrate that this mode of administration was more likely among males. Although studies have suggested that the lifetime prevalence of illicit drug use is converging between males and females [30], studies have shown that males often use a wider range of drugs [31] and have heavier patterns of substance use [32]. These findings on escalation to smoking pills cohere with this broader literature. Recent pain killer misusers also reported higher odds of smoking prescription pills.

In terms of subcultural participation, those involved in EDM scenes were much more likely to report smoking pills. This may relate to the misuse of prescription drugs to moderate the effects of “club drugs” popular in such scenes [33]. Further examinations of the role of prescription drug smoking in polydrug combinations are necessary. By contrast, those involved in the college bar scene were less likely to have smoked prescription drugs. This is somewhat surprising given that studies have regularly highlighted the high prevalence of prescription drug misuse among college students [4]; yet, college students may misuse prescription drugs primarily for functional reasons and thus may be less inclined to smoke pills.

Regarding consequences, we found no effect for smoking prescription drugs on mental health outcomes, but strong effects for the CIDI and SIP-AD measures of problem drug use. Thus, our findings provide further support to previous research identifying that transitions to non-oral modes of consumption (mostly sniffing) increase prescription drug abuse related problems [15]. Attesting to the strength of the effect, we observed increased symptoms of dependence associated with smoking prescription drugs even net of the effect of frequency of prescription drug misuse. Thus, smoking is associated with higher dependence and problems above and beyond greater recent misuse. Although the effect of frequency of misuse on drug problems is perhaps unsurprising, the effect of smoking provides clinicians and practitioners with another indicator of increased likelihood of dependence and problems associated with prescription drug misuse... 

Full article at:  http://goo.gl/4zM2dE

By:   Kelly BC¹, Vuolo M², Pawson M³, Wells BE⁴, Parsons JT⁴.

¹Department of Sociology, Purdue University (https://www.cla.purdue.edu/sociology/), West Lafayette, Indiana; Center for HIV Educational Studies & Training, New York, New York. Electronic address: bckelly@purdue.edu.

²Department of Sociology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.

³Center for HIV Educational Studies & Training, New York, New York; The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York.

⁴Center for HIV Educational Studies & Training, New York, New York; The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York; Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York.

J Adolesc Health. 2015 Jun;56(6):632-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.02.008.

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