The Mull Hypothesis: is cannabis use contributing to high tobacco use prevalence among young North Coast males?

Eric K. van Beurden; Avigdor Zask; Megan Passey; Annie M. Kia

doi:10.1071/NB07052

RESEARCH ARTICLE

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The Mull Hypothesis: is cannabis use contributing to high tobacco use prevalence among young North Coast males?

Eric K. van Beurden ^A , Avigdor Zask ^A , Megan Passey ^B and Annie M. Kia ^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A North Coast Health Promotion, Population Health, Planning and Performance Directorate, North Coast Area Health Service

^B Department of Rural Health (Northern Rivers), University of Sydney and North Coast Area Health Service

^C Corresponding author. avigdor.zask@ncahs.health.nsw.gov.au

NSW Public Health Bulletin 19(4) 72-74 https://doi.org/10.1071/NB07052
Published: 29 April 2008

Abstract

Men aged 25–34 years, in North Coast NSW, have higher documented smoking rates than elsewhere in the state. The present paper explores potential causes of elevated smoking rates in this population and proposes that tobacco dependence resulting from ‘mulling’ (mixing) cannabis with tobacco may be contributing.

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Therese Dunn for data analysis, Reyna Dight, David Reilly and Gerry Williams for expert advice and Geoff Morgan for constructive comments.

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