ED patients who use cannabis and cocaine have higher mortality risks than other patients. Further research is necessary to determine whether this result is stable across racial/ethnic groups.

Longitudinal substance abuse research has often been compromised by high rates of attrition, thought to be the result of the lifestyle that often accompanies addiction. Several studies have used strategies including collection of locator information at the baseline assessment, verification of the information, and interim contacts prior to completing the follow-up to minimize attrition, however it is unclear whether these strategies are equally effective for participants struggling with varying levels of housing stability, support for sobriety, and substance abuse severity. The current study extends research supporting the effectiveness of follow-up strategies with a focus on locator form completion and continual verification contacts. Results indicated that each additional piece of locator form information and verification contact significantly and independently increased the odds for completing a follow-up interview, and that these effects were not moderated by participant characteristics. Practical and theoretical implications for longitudinal substance abuse research are discussed.

Research suggests that problem gambling is associated with substance and alcohol abuse, criminal activity, and involvement in the criminal justice system. The present study assessed the lifetime prevalence of pathological and problem gambling among a population in which these risk factors are compounded, specifically adults mandated to participate in drug court. A sample of 602 participants completed the South Oaks Gambling Screen. Nearly 72% of the participants were male, and the majority identified as White (53%) or Black (37%). Results indicated that the prevalence and severity of problem gambling may be elevated within this population. Over 30% of respondents were assessed as probable pathological or problem gamblers (20.1% and 10.3%, respectively), and 22% as being at low risk. Results suggest that problem gambling is a salient issue among substance-abusing offenders. Resources should be dedicated to screening and developing evidence based best practices for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling.

Aims We examined whether (a) the number of strip clubs per capita and (b) the proportion of clubs with “high‐risk characteristics” were significantly associated with rates of sexual violence (SV) and other violent crime at the county level. Methods Using large, public data sets, we tested effects across 926 counties (13 U.S. states), controlling for percent below the poverty line and alcohol outlets per capita. Results We found that rates of strip clubs were significantly associated with violent crime, but not SV, in all but one model (accounting for Saturday hours). Counties with greater proportions of “high‐risk” strip clubs (i.e., greater days and hours of operation, drink specials, full‐nudity policies, or private rooms) have higher rates of SV. All models, except the full‐nudity policy model, demonstrated increased rates of violent crime. Conclusions These results provide information for community‐level violence prevention and equips stakeholders with information to create safer communities.

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