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

Abstract

This study sought to examine whether student marijuana use identified by screening in a student health center is associated with health-promoting behaviors. Students completed a brief web-based, health behavior screening instrument. Those who reported marijuana use of monthly or more on the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Test (ASSIST)—and a subset of those who did not—were invited to complete additional baseline assessments, including questions about health-promoting behaviors, alcohol, and substance use (n = 321). Results showed marijuana users were more likely to use a variety of substances and engage in hazardous drinking than non-users. Moreover, level of marijuana use was associated with greater likelihood of using a variety of substances but not with hazardous drinking. There was no evidence that marijuana use was associated with health-promoting behaviors. These findings highlight the concomitant substance-related risks associated with marijuana use but do not support the view that these students are less likely to engage in health-promoting behaviors than non-users.