Overview

• The peer‑reviewed research, published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, examined 151 Ontario participants aged 19 to 25.
• Participants completed daily phone surveys during three 21‑day periods spaced six months apart, reporting substance use, mental‑health symptoms, motives, and consequences.
• Episodes of higher stress, anxiety, or depressed mood coincided with more frequent simultaneous cannabis use during binge drinking and with greater adverse life outcomes.
• Many reported combining substances to feel better, yet the authors note elevated risk from co‑use even if occasional episodes may not be concerning.
• The findings support early screening for coping‑driven use, education on combined‑use risks, and promotion of alternative coping strategies; the study cites CIHR funding and rising youth cannabis use in Canada as context.