Marijuana use behaviors on Texas college campuses

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Substance Use Research
• Higher Education Studies

Background:

• Contemporary research on marijuana use behaviors within college settings is scarce.
• Understanding campus-specific marijuana use patterns is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of marijuana use on college campuses.
• To identify common locations of marijuana use among students.
• To examine sociodemographic factors associated with campus marijuana use.
• To compare use patterns between vaped marijuana and other modes of consumption.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 14,005 college students aged 18-25 across 19 Texas colleges in Spring 2022.
• Data collected included marijuana use prevalence, locations, sociodemographics, and mode of use (vaping vs. other).

Main Results:

• Nearly 40% of students reported ever using marijuana, with over 26% having used it on campus.
• Vaping was the predominant method of marijuana use on campus (64.89%).
• Students who vaped marijuana on campus were more than twice as likely to use it in public campus locations.

Conclusions:

• Marijuana use is common on college campuses, and vaping may facilitate increased use, including in public spaces like classrooms.
• Colleges should consider enhancing enforcement against marijuana, particularly electronic vaping devices, to curb campus use.