Is marijuana use associated with negative or positive health-related behaviors among college students? A recent study explored this question in an effort to determine if and how marijuana use influences the health of college students.  Undergraduate students visiting a student health center were asked to complete a screening instrument that included determining student’s frequency of marijuana use.  Those students that self-reported use within the past 90 days (n=175), as well as a subset that did not (n=146), completed additional questionnaires that assessed their engagement in health-promoting behaviors, hazardous drinking, and substance use.  After controlling for gender, logistic regression analysis demonstrated no significant association between marijuana use and lower engagement in health-promoting behaviors, including behaviors related to weight, sleep, nutrition, and exercise.  However, similar analyses suggested that compared to non-users, marijuana users were more likely to use other substances and engage in risky drinking behaviors.  Take-Away:In this study, individuals that used marijuana within the past 90 days were not less likely to engage in positive health-related behaviors compared with non-users.  Marijuana users were more likely to engage in concomitant substance use, suggesting an additional point for college campuses to include in substance use prevention programming.

Citation: Palfai et. al.  (2015) Is Marijuana Use Associated With Health Promotion Behaviors Among College Students? Health-Promoting and Health-Risk Behaviors Among Students Identified Through Screening in a University Student Health Services Center.