Spirituality and Harmful or Hazardous Alcohol and Other Drug Use

This meta-analysis reviewed 55 longitudinal studies involving more than 540,000 participants to examine the relationship between spirituality and harmful or hazardous alcohol and other drug use. The findings show that spiritual and religious involvement is associated with a 13% reduction in the risk of substance use and related harms, with even stronger protective effects among individuals who regularly participate in religious communities.

The protective association was observed across alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other illicit drugs, and was linked to both prevention of substance use and support for recovery. The review found that nearly all studies reported positive rather than harmful effects.

Overall, the study suggests that spirituality can be an important protective factor and may contribute to more comprehensive approaches to substance use prevention and recovery support.