Dallas Stout, lecturer in child and adolescent studies, is joining an inaugural eight-person Community Advisory Board at Cal State Long Beach that is developing a new prevention program focused on adolescent tobacco and cannabis co-use.
Stout, who teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology, human services and child development, will collaborate with researchers from Cal State Long Beach on the three-year, grant-funded project.
Tobacco and cannabis use are common among adolescents, and the use of both substances can pose greater health risks than either substance alone. Co-use has been associated with increased risks of addiction, respiratory health, psychosocial functioning, educational outcomes, anxiety, depression and adolescent brain development.
This study aims to better understand when, where, why and how adolescents use tobacco and cannabis together. Researchers will examine the situations and motivations surrounding different patterns of co-use among adolescents. While previous research has looked at tobacco and cannabis separately or has relied on broad surveys, this study aims to fill the gap in the literature regarding cannabis-nicotine co-use in adolescents.
This study takes a closer look at adolescents’ real-world experiences and circumstances surrounding substance use in order to create a prevention program.