Nonmedical prescription analgesic use and concurrent alcohol consumption among college students.

BACKGROUND Research has linked heavy alcohol use with nonmedical prescription analgesic use, but no studies have focused on concurrent use. OBJECTIVES To understand the extent to which alcohol use and nonmedical prescription analgesic use co-occur among college students. METHODS The Timeline Followback method was used to split the sample (n = 1,118) into three groups based on their alcohol and nonmedical prescription analgesic use. RESULTS Of all nonmedical prescription analgesic users, 58% (n = 90) were concurrent users. Concurrent users consumed more drinks per drinking day (7.5) than non-concurrent (5.8) and alcohol-only users (5.2), and drank more often (74.4% of days in the past six months, vs. 45.7% and 36.8%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Concurrent alcohol and analgesic use is prevalent among nonmedical users of prescription analgesics. Findings suggest a need for heightened awareness and increased research of the risks of coingestion.