The lack of association of marijuana and other recreational drugs with progression to AIDS in the San Francisco Men's Health Study

We evaluated the associations of specific recreational drugs and alcohol with laboratory predictors of AIDS at entry into the San Francisco Men's Health Study (SFMHS) in 1984 and with the development of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) during 6 years of follow-up. Marijuana use was associated with a decreased rate of progression to AIDS in the univariate analysis (RR = 0.7; P = 0.01). Marijuana use was more common among individuals with elevated HIV viral core protein antibody (p24 Ab) titer (> 1:16) at baseline (P = 0.03); this finding suggests that marijuana users were healthier at baseline. When the data were adjusted for p24 Ab and other laboratory parameters, no association with progression to AIDS was observed for marijuana, suggesting that the observed univariate result was due to a difference in HIV-related disease at the time of enrollment. No statistically significant associations were observed for nitrites, methylene dioxyamphetamines, ethyl chloride, downers, cocaine, stimulants, narcotics, or psychedelic drugs. These data suggest no substantial association between use of these drugs and the development of AIDS among HIV-infected men. Ann Epidemiol 1996; 6:283-289.