Data has already shown that 62% of U.S. college students have consumed alcohol in the previous 30 days and that 38% have used marijuana in the previous 30 days. This study specifically focuses on the impact of these actions on college athletes. There was a study completed across four universities that found 47% of athletes binge drank in the previous two weeks while only 32% of non-athletes binge drank. They asked students in this study questions to learn about associations between alcohol consumptions, marijuana use, and if these behaviors are associated with alcohol-related injuries or academic consequences. Once this is known, it can be used to train athletic personnel to educate and counsel at-risk student athletes on these behaviors.
Participants included 12,510 full-time undergraduate students from age 18-25 where 1,233 were student athletes. The questions asked included questions about alcohol consumption and frequency, marijuana use, alcohol-related injuries, cumulative grade point average, skipping class, and athletic status. What they found was that while frequency of alcohol was relatively the same for athletes and non-athletes, quantity was more for athletes. Athletes drank an additional 0.7 drinks per drinking day. They also found that marijuana use was less likely in student athletes.
GPA was negatively affected with substance use among student athletes. The average GPA for past-month binge drinkers was 3.27 compared to 3.38 of those that did not. The result was similar in those who used marijuana. They found that binge drinking had no affect on skipping class, but marijuana users skipped class twice as often as non-users. Finally, experiencing an alcohol-related injury was eight times higher in those who binge drank. Overall, this data shows that there is an increased risk for excessive drinking in student athletes. It also shows that substance use can impact student’s academic success. With this information training of athletic personnel can be tailored to address this concern.
Take Away: The study looks to see if student athletes are at a higher risk for excessive substance use and if this substance use affects their academic performance. The researchers found that frequency of drinking was similar in athletes and non-athletes, but that quantity was higher in athletes. They also found that GPA was negatively affected by substance use and using marijuana increased likeliness to skip class. This information can be used to properly train athletic personal to pay special attention to these increased risks.