Previous research has shown that overall, there is an inverse relationship between years of education and heavy drinking in young adults. There is also some research showing that substance use in college may cause later problematic substance use. This study focuses on associations between college attendance and subsequent alcohol and marijuana use. To do this, data was used from a study called Monitoring the Future. This study is a national school-based survey of 12th graders in the U.S. They followed up with these participants until the age of 35.
They first asked questions about college attendance at the age of 19 or 20. The questions included choices about part-time and full-time status along with type of university attendance. Questions were also asked about binge drinking and marijuana along with alcohol or marijuana use disorder status at age 35. What they found was that those participants who attended a 4-year college full-time university at age 19/20 had higher odds of binge drinking at the ages 21-30. This same college attendance was associated with higher marijuana use at 21/22 and 25/26, but lower odds at 29/30. Any college attendance was associated with lower rates of abstinence from drinking at age 35 and four-year college full-time attendance was associated with higher risk of alcohol use disorder.
What this data shows is that college attendance is found to be related to binge drinking in young adults and alcohol use at age 35. Also, 4-year college full-time attendance had the most impact on risk factors for both binge drinking and risk trajectories after college attendance. Marijuana use was impacted less by college attendance as it was only associated with increased use through age 25/26. This information is important for creating interventions for all college students to educate them on the risks of heavy drinking and marijuana use.
Take Away: College attendance has been shown to predict heaving drinking in young adults. This study looks at types of college attendance and how it affects young adults’ risky alcohol and marijuana use. They followed participants from 12th grade to the age of 35. What they found was that college attendance is related to bring drinking in young adults and the probability of alcohol use at the age of 35. The study showed that this risk was highest for 4-year college full-time students. Marijuana use was found to be less affected by college attendance. This information is important for creating interventions for students to understand the risks of heavy drinking and marijuana use.