Nightclub Attendance and Substance Use: Findings From the General Population Survey

Abstract

Addressing the limited generalizability of previous research on nightlife and substance use, which mostly relied on convenience or venue-based samples, this study used nationally representative data from Croatian residents aged 15–64 (N = 4,988) to: (1) examine the extent and patterns of substance use among nightclub attendees, (2) identify subgroups based on nightlife attendance and illicit and new psychoactive substance use in the last year, and (3) assess predictors of cannabis dependence severity. Cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, and ecstasy were most commonly used substances among nightclub attendees. Latent class analysis identified three distinct classes: a non-attendance/abstinent class, an occasional-attendance/cannabis-use class, and an occasional-attendance/polysubstance-use class. Class membership, together with coping and enhancement motives, significantly predicted cannabis dependence severity. Findings demonstrate substantial heterogeneity of substance use patterns among nightclub attendees and highlight the need for targeted, subgroup-specific harm reduction strategies, focusing on polysubstance use and cannabis-related risks in nightclub settings.