A pilot trial of a brief intervention for cannabis use supplemented with a substance-free activity session or relaxation training.

Objective: Cannabis use is increasing among college students and commonly co-occurs with anxiety symptoms in this age group. Interventions that reduce anxiety may also reduce cannabis use. Behavioral economic theory suggests that substance use reductions are most likely when there is an increase in substance-free reinforcement.

A Behavioral Economic Analysis of Marijuana and Other Drug Use Among Heavy Drinking Young Adults.

Objective: Behavioral economic models predict that deficits in substance-free reward and future time orientation are associated with greater drug involvement, but this hypothesis has not been systematically investigated among young adult heavy drinkers. This study evaluated the association between drug use levels (heavy drinking (HD) only, HD + marijuana use, and HD + polysubstance use) and substance-free activity engagement, future orientation, and reward deprivation (comprised of reward experience and environmental suppressors of reward) among heavy drinkers.

Method: Participants were 358 college students who reported two or more past-month heavy drinking episodes (5/4 or more drinks in one occasion for a man/woman).