It is no secret that the use of marijuana in college students has increased significantly over the past decade. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) states that about 1 in 10 marijuana users will eventually become addicted, and this number increases for people who begin using before the age of 18, to about 1 in 6 (Health Effects 2017). In a recent research study, Suerken, et al. (2014) states that marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug on college campuses today.
The study that was conducted focused on 18 to 21-year-olds that are currently in college, versus 18 to 21-year-olds that are not in college, and the percentage of marijuana usage among both. It was found that those 18 to 21-year-olds that are currently enrolled in a college reported a higher prevalence of the use of marijuana than those 18 to 21-year-olds that were not currently enrolled in a college (Suerken, et al., 2014). Researchers have been trying to identify some of the reasons why college students use marijuana on a recreational basis. Buddy T (2018) talked about some of the information that researchers have found in regard to why college students are more likely to use marijuana than non-college students. researchers have found a few reasons why marijuana is so widely used and popular among college students in the United States.
In these studies, it was found that peer pressure was one of the major causes of the use of marijuana among this population. Also, some people’s belief that marijuana is a “harmless” drug, how easily available and accessible marijuana is, to relieve frustrations of any kind, to experience the “feel good” feeling of the drug, to hopefully find ways to better understand certain situations that the person may be in, out of boredom, to escape problems that the person may have a hard time coming to terms with, or to increase (or decrease) the effects of other drugs, are some of the major reasons as to why marijuana is the drug of choice for college students (Buddy T. Reviewed by a board-certified physician 2018).
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McCabe, et al., (2007) focused on examining the possible ethnic differences among the illicit drug use of marijuana in college students. His research found that 38.2% of white young adults 18 to 25 years of age in the United States reported any illicit drug use in the past year, followed by 30.6% of African-Americans to report any illicit drug use in the past year, and then 27.5% Hispanic young adults to report any illicit drug use in the past year (McCabe, et al., 2007). However, he also stated that drug use among different races in the United States does not reflect the drug abuse among different races (McCabe, et al., 2007). By this, McCabe means that just because one race shows a higher recreational use rate of marijuana, does not mean that they are abusing the drug in a way that will have any major adverse effects on the body. In the same study, it was determined that marijuana use disorders in the United States were significantly higher among college men than in women (McCabe, et al., 2007). Therefore, men are more likely to use and/or abuse recreational marijuana than women.
There are a number of determining risk factors that drive people to using marijuana. Bailey et al., (2018) described a few different categories of these risk factors for the use of marijuana in college students. These categories can include: community risk factors, family risk factors, education risk factors, and individual/peer risk factors. The community category involves; the availability as well accessibility of the drug, the use of drugs in the media, community laws for drug use, public norms among drug use, crime involvement with drugs, transitions involving certain drug use into the community or personal life, economic deprivation, and low neighborhood attachment and community disorganization.
The family risk factors include; family history of the problem drug use, family conflicts that can drive a person to using an illicit drug, family management problems, and favorable parental attitudes and involvement in the problem behavior. The factors that are involved in education risk factors include; lack of commitment to school from the overuse of illicit drugs, and academic failure beginning in late elementary school. Finally, the factors that Bailey et al., (2018) mention in the individual/peer risk factors include; early and persistent antisocial behavior that can eventually turn a person into using drugs, friends who engage in the problem behavior and their behavior towards the drug and their friends, the feeling of being rebellious, favorable attitudes toward the problem behavioral, and early commencement of the problem behavior.
Other risk factors of lifetime marijuana use can include being a young adult, being male, high levels of stress or anxiety, and the association with marijuana-using peers. Furthermore, family structure and support were protective factors against marijuana use (Roblyer, Betancourth, and Grzywacz, 2015). With this information, it is safe to say that peers play an important role in illicit substance use and/or abuse. If an individual that is using/abusing marijuana keeps hanging out with other individuals that are also taking place in the adverse behavior, then it will be difficult for other substance users to stop using the illicit drug.
Despite the common notation that marijuana is “harmless”, there are some health issues that are associated with the deliberate use of marijuana. The Drug Enforcement Administration comments on some of the negative and harmful effects that marijuana can have on the body. Some of these effects include: impairing short-term memory, judgment, and motor coordination; negative academic outcomes, such as performing poorly on exams, achieving lower grade point averages, and dropping out of school; and long-term effects such as increased risk for chronic cough and bronchitis, along with other respiratory problems (Campus drug prevention 2017). Bubby T (2018) went into further detail about the health issues associated with the short-term use of marijuana versus the long-term use of marijuana.
He explained that short-term use of marijuana may lead to memory and thinking problems, loss of coordination, anxiety, and altered senses (Buddy T. Reviewed by a board-certified physician 2018). Whereas long-term marijuana use has been found to increase a person’s heart rate, as well as increase their risk for lung infections, weaken their immune system, and possibly cause temporary hallucinations and paranoia (Buddy T. Reviewed by a board-certified physician 2018). He also added that compared to people who do not use marijuana, those who use it report poorer physical and mental health, more relationship problems, and lower life satisfaction, and that marijuana use can develop into a substance abuse disorder, and with severe use, can lead to addiction (Buddy T. Reviewed by a board-certified physician 2018).
One of the major psychosocial consequences of marijuana use among college students is the effect of marijuana on a student’s GPA, which can directly affect their graduation. Arria, Caldeira, Bugbee, Vincent, and O’Grady (2015) found from their research study that their results showed a significant path from initial marijuana use frequency to skipping more classes, which leads to lower first-semester GPA which can then cause the student to take longer time for them graduate. By this, they mean that these first-year college students are more willing to skip classes to use marijuana, thus risking their GPA and eventually making it harder for them to graduate on-time, or even risking getting kicked out of their university. Thus, if a student gets in trouble to an extent with the university due to their recreational marijuana use, it can affect the future jobs/career of the student.
The Drug Enforcement Administration addresses some preventative actions that people can take, specifically among these college students, to help prevent the recreational use of marijuana. These steps that are mentioned include: educating these students before they attend college about the physical, academic, and legal risks/consequences of marijuana use, drug screen students on campuses to help identify these frequent marijuana users and confront them about the possible academic consequences that they could be facing, work with local law enforcement personnel to stay updated on marijuana use methods, types, and trends, as well as collaborate to correct the misperceptions students have about the use of these illicit drugs; such as marijuana, and get involved by joining their campus’s or local community’s drug abuse prevention collaborations (Campus drug prevention 2017).
There are many ways for those who are dependent on marijuana to get treatment. There are behavioral methods such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, contingency management, and motivational enhancement therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy that helps the individual identify their behaviors that drive them to using marijuana, or their substance of choice, by teaching them strategies to stop their drug use and face other problems following or preceding their drug use. Contingency management is a therapeutic strategy that monitors the frequency of the target behavior and removing the positive reward when the target behavior occurs. Motivational enhancement therapy is a system of interventions that helps produce a rapid change of the internal thoughts of the individual. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, motivational enhancement therapy does not specifically focus on completely treating the person, but instead to organize the persons own internal thoughts and perceptions for change and their involvement in treatment (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018).
For those that are seeking treatment to help their addiction of marijuana, but are having a hard time finding something local, or something to fit their specific needs, SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) is a widely used service across the United States that specializes in helping those individuals that are dependent on a substance. This program is a free helpline that is open 24/7, and every day of the year. They refer individuals that are using substances or have mental health problems to programs that are relatively available to suit the patient’s needs. SAMHSA provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations (National Helpline 2014).
In conclusion, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States, and especially among college students. Among these students, research suggests that white males are the most common users of recreational marijuana, African American males come just after white males, and then Hispanic males (National Institute on Drug Abuse 2018). College students are risking their future careers and GPA when they decide to use. They are more inclined to skip class, or not comprehend material when in class after getting their “fix”. This puts their GPA in jeopardy, which can ultimately lead to a later graduation than expected or even a suspension/expulsion from their university. Knowing this, there are multiple ways for users to get help. Whether its going somewhere for treatment, or calling a helpline for services, there are many available options out there. However, educating these young adults on the effects of marijuana on their body, mind, and on their future can help these students focus on their future and understand the negative effects that marijuana can have.
