Boston, MA: Same day use of alcohol, but not marijuana, is predictive of dating abuse among young adults, according to data published in the journal Violence Against Women. Dating abuse is defined as “physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional violence within a dating relationship, including stalking.”

Investigators from Boston University, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and the University of Texas at Galveston investigated same-day alcohol or marijuana use and dating abuse perpetration in a sample of 60 non-college attending young adults over a period of three months.

Authors reported: “This study did not provide support for the hypothesis that marijuana is causally related to DA perpetration. Although there was a weak and positive association between marijuana use and increased relative odds of DA perpetration on the same day, the result was not statistically significant. The idea that marijuana may not be causally related to increased risk of partner aggression is consistent with the results of several other studies.”

By contrast, “[A]lcohol use at any time in the past 24 hours was associated with reports of DA perpetration in that same 24-hr period of time.”

The paper’s findings are consistent with prior studies, such as those here and here.

For more information, contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, “Alcohol, marijuana, and dating abuse perpetration by young adults: Results of a daily call study,” appears in Violence Against Women.

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