Assessing How Sport Participation is Associated With Vaping Nicotine and Marijuana Among Adolescents in the U.S

To assess associations between competitive sport participation and nicotine and marijuana vaping among U.S. adolescents.

We analyzed cross-sectional Monitoring the Future survey data from U.S. secondary school students collected in 2020-2024 (n = 34,285). Multivariable logistic regression models estimated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) for past-year and past 30-day prevalence and frequency of nicotine vaping, marijuana vaping, cigarette smoking, and marijuana use by sport participation (any, number of sports, and type: non-contact, semi-contact, high-contact, other).

Compared with non-participants, adolescents in any competitive sport had higher odds of past-year nicotine vaping (AOR = 1.20, 95%CI = 1.08-1.33) and marijuana vaping (AOR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.00-1.29). High-contact sport participation was associated with greater odds of past-year nicotine vaping (AOR = 1.32, 95%CI = 1.18-1.48) and marijuana vaping (AOR = 1.26, 95%CI = 1.09-1.44). However, among adolescents reporting past-year vaping or marijuana use, sport participation was generally associated with lower odds of recent and frequent substance use. Motives for vaping differed by sport type, with high-contact athletes more likely to report social and performance-related reasons.

Sports participation was associated with greater odds of initiating nicotine vaping and marijuana use but lower odds of more recent and frequent use among adolescents who had already initiated these behaviors, suggesting that associations between sports participation and substance use differ across stages of use.