Patterns of medical marijuana use among individuals sampled from medical marijuana dispensaries in los angeles.

The proliferation of medical marijuana (MM) dispensaries has led to concerns that they will lead to more widespread use of marijuana. The aim of the current study was to collect descriptive data on individuals using MM dispensaries in Los Angeles County. A mixed-method approach was employed that consisted of focus groups with 30 individuals and a survey of dispensary users (N = 182) in Los Angeles County. Differences between younger (less than 30 years old) and older individuals were examined in the survey sample. Most individuals in both samples had initiated marijuana use in adolescence. Nearly one-half of survey respondents had indications of risky alcohol use and one-fifth reported recent use of illicit drugs or misuse of prescription medications. Younger individuals had higher rates of tobacco use, visited dispensaries more frequently, and had more socially embedded patterns of use, but they were similar to older individuals in terms of their reasons for use. Nearly all participants believed that MM was beneficial in treating their health problems, although 65% reported symptoms of psychological distress in the past year. Interventions aimed at MM users should stress the related effects of tobacco and risky alcohol use as well as mental health needs.

Disparities in completion of substance abuse treatment among Latino subgroups in Los Angeles County, CA.

RATIONALE: A growing body of research has revealed disparities with respect to drug use patterns within Latino subgroups. However, the extent to which these potential disparities enable different Latino subgroups to respond favorably to treatment is unclear. METHODS: This study analyzed a subset of multicross-sectional data (2006-2009) on Latinos collected from publicly funded facilities in Los Angeles County, CA (N=12,871). We used multilevel logistic regressions to examine individual and service-level factors associated with treatment completion among subgroups of first-time Latino treatment clients. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that Cubans and Puerto Ricans were less likely to complete treatment than Mexicans and other Latinos. Cubans and Puerto Ricans entered treatment at an older age and with higher formal education than Mexicans, yet they were more likely to report mental health issues and use of cocaine and heroin as primary drugs of choice respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that age, having mental health issues, reporting high use of drugs at intake, and use of methamphetamines and marijuana were associated with decreased odds of completing treatment among all Latino subgroups. In contrast, age at first drug use, treatment duration, and referral monitoring by the criminal system increased the odds of completing treatment for all members. CONCLUSION: These findings have implications for targeting interventions for members of different Latinos groups during their first treatment episode. Promising individual and service factors associated with treatment completion can inform the design of culturally specific recovery models that can be evaluated in small-scale randomized pilot studies.