Trends in combinational use of alcohol and illicit drugs among minority adolescents, 1983-1994

Combinational use of substances refers to taking two or more substances tog ether so that they affect the person at the same rime. This pattern of subs tance use presents unique health and safety risks. Trends in combinational use of alcohol and marijuana or alcohol and cocaine were determined using d ata from three large comparable samples of students in grades 7-12, in New York State, from surveys conducted in 1983, 1990, and 1994. Each of the thr ee samples was demographically diverse, permitting detailed analysis of tre nds in various adolescent subgroups according to gender, grade level (age), and race/ethnicity. These two forms of adolescent combinational use of alc ohol and illicit drugs dropped sharply from 1983 to 1990, but increased or remained stable from 1990 to 1994. Use of alcohol and marijuana together in creased sharply from 1990 to 1994, much more for blacks and Hispanics than for whites, while use of alcohol and crack or cocaine together remained sta ble at a low level in the 1990s. Both forms of combinational use increased in the 1990s more among younger adolescents than among older ones. Analyses controlling for rates of use also suggest that these forms of combinationa l use are incidental to the use of the individual substances, rather than u niquely sought "highs." Prevention programs should include warnings about t he dangers of combinational use, especially for younger adolescents.