Mental Health and Substance Use

The Mental Health and Substance Use portfolio addresses the social, economic and environmental impacts of substance use, particularly focusing on tobacco and cannabis. Projects include studies on the economic costs of youth tobacco and cannabis use to California’s school system, examining the losses in school funding associated with absenteeism and disparities across socioeconomic and geographic factors. Additionally, The Institute for Health & Aging (IHA) investigates the environmental impact of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and heated tobacco products (HTP), assessing the types and quantities of waste and its toxicity to aquatic environments. This portfolio provides crucial insights into the broader effects of substance use and supports the development of evidence-based public health interventions.

Projects

Cannabis Vaping and the Risk of Respiratory Symptoms for U.S. Youth and Young Adults 

This study assesses the temporal relationship between cannabis vaping and respiratory symptoms in adolescents and young adults, aiming to inform policies to prevent cannabis use and reduce associated respiratory health issues. 

Environmental Toxicity of Electronic Cigarette and Heated Tobacco Product Components and Waste 

This research investigates the types and distributions of waste from electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and heated tobacco products (HTP) in California’s public spaces, along with the acute and chronic toxicity of this waste in aquatic environments. 

Impact of Tobacco Use, Secondhand Tobacco Exposure, and Cannabis Use on School System Costs 

This project estimates California’s annual school funding losses due to absenteeism from youth use of e-cigarettes, combustible tobacco and cannabis, as well as secondhand tobacco exposure in children’s homes. It also examines disparities in these losses by socioeconomic and geographic factors. 

The Health, Empowerment, and Recovery Services (HERS) Program 

The (HERS) Program provides collaborative outreach and trauma-informed substance use and mental health treatment services for women living with and at high risk for HIV. HERS implements and evaluates a comprehensive treatment intervention for both cis and transgender women affected by HIV.

IHA Principal Investigator: Rosalind De Lisser