Binge alcohol and cannabis co-use associated with depression in Black men.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between depression symptoms and co-use of cannabis and binge drinking by establishing substance use patterns in a sample of Black men. Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale scores were compared across four mutually exclusive categories of past-30-day use: cannabis only, binge-drinking only, co-use, and nonuse. We hypothesized that men who engaged in both binge drinking and cannabis use would report the highest depression scores compared to other user groups. METHOD: , a cross-sectional observational study assessing the effects of neighborhood and individual-level factors on Black men's HIV risk. RESULTS: = 0.06). Higher frequency of use of either substance, and co-use, was linked to greater depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: As a between-subjects analysis, findings offer insight into population-level affect regulation patterns and may reconcile mixed evidence from within-person studies by highlighting stable risk associations in a structurally disadvantaged group. Results further underscore the need for culturally tailored mental health screening and intervention strategies for minoritized adult populations reporting co-use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).