Why young adults use both marijuana and cigarettes
Using novel behavioral economic measures to characterize dual marijuana and tobacco use in young adults
['FUNDING_R01'] · BROWN UNIVERSITY · NIH-11237996
This project looks at how young adults who use both marijuana and cigarettes make choices between them using short lab tasks that mimic real-life tradeoffs.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | BROWN UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PROVIDENCE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11237996 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would be asked to come to the lab and complete brief decision tasks that measure how much you want marijuana versus cigarettes when prices or availability change. The team will use a new cross-price task to see if one product replaces the other and a cue-reactivity task to see if seeing cues for one drug increases craving for the other. These tasks are designed to model everyday choices and triggers that lead to dual use. The researchers hope the results will reveal behavioral patterns that can be targeted to reduce long-term health risks.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are young adults (about 18–25 years old) who currently use both marijuana and cigarettes.
Not a fit: People who only use one of these substances, minors under 18, older adults, or anyone unable or unwilling to attend in-person lab visits are unlikely to get direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could help shape better prevention and quitting supports that lower future cancer risk for people who use both substances.
How similar studies have performed: Behavioral economic approaches have been used successfully for single-substance research, but applying cross-price elasticity and cross-cue demand to marijuana–tobacco dual use is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
PROVIDENCE, UNITED STATES
- BROWN UNIVERSITY — PROVIDENCE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ASTON, ELIZABETH — BROWN UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: ASTON, ELIZABETH
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Cancer Control, Cancer Control Science, Cancers