Marijuana use had declined in the 1980s. However, its use has been rising steadily since the beginning of the 1990s. To some experts, the increase in cannabis use should be a cause for alarm. That’s because using marijuana can be a gateway to the use of other drugs. Today, cannabis is among the most used illegal drugs. THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is the psychoactive compound in marijuana. This is responsible for the high feeling that a person gets after smoking marijuana.
Today, many college students are using marijuana. Generally, students have greater access to different drugs in college than at home. This availability of drugs influences some students to try drugs like marijuana for the first time. Some even develop abusive habits and subsequent addictions in colleges.
Being in college means some students live on their own. They enjoy their newfound freedom. This comes with the desire to experiment. Some students are introduced to things like wax vaporizers by their peers in college. Others are exposed to drugs and party culture in ways they have never experienced. It’s also at this time that some students engage in heavy drinking. If a student is not careful, they can be influenced negatively to end up battling addictions later in life.
Marijuana Use among College Students on the Rise
The rate at which students are using marijuana is on the rise. According to Monitoring the Future survey of 2015, the use of marijuana among college students rose from 30.2% in 2006 to almost 38% in 2015.
Many students are using marijuana to relieve stress or to relax. Some students use marijuana in readiness for social events and during parties. With the drug continuing to make headlines as the debate about its legalization and decriminalization continues, this trend is likely to continue. More young people are interested in finding out whether cannabis has the purported medicinal value.
Students from all social cliques are using marijuana. The drug can be found in student residences, dorm rooms, sorority and fraternity houses, bars, and campus greens. It’s also available in student parties. Students use marijuana in different forms including smoking and vaping with some of the best wax pens.
How Marijuana Influences College Students
Marijuana can affect memory, learning, and attention negatively. Its effects can last for days or even weeks after wearing off its acute effects. However, this depends on the history of the user with marijuana.
College students that use marijuana can sometimes or always function at a low intellectual level. There is evidence to prove a possible link between smoking marijuana and poor educational outcomes among students. Research has shown that there exists an association between marijuana use and reduced attainment in education, such as low chances of graduating.
This study found that adolescent marijuana users were significantly unlikely to finish high school or get degrees than non-using adolescents. What’s more, adolescent marijuana users are more likely to develop dependence, use other drugs and even attempt to commit suicide.
How Marijuana Influences the Social Life of Students
Marijuana can affect the social life of a college student in different ways. For instance, a student that smokes marijuana can lack motivation. This can make them miss classes or even fail to do homework. Although a student can use a dab vape pen to ingest marijuana as a way to avoid the negative effects of smoke, it can still cause memory issues. These can make studying difficult.
Using cannabis can fracture the relationships of a student with family members, friends, and significant others. Continued use of marijuana can cause hallucinations and mood changes. Long-term marijuana use can also worsen schizophrenia symptoms. All these can affect the social life of a college student negatively.
Research has also linked cannabis use with low life satisfaction and criminal behavior. However, the extent to which marijuana can cause these associations is yet to be established. Other factors may predispose individuals to such influences. These can include dropping out of school for any reason other than using marijuana.
Nevertheless, it is perceived that marijuana use leads to poor outcomes in different aspects of achievements and overall satisfaction in life. It’s also perceived that few users of marijuana graduates from college. As such, they end up with low household incomes. Marijuana use can also affect workplace performance and in some cases lead to unemployment. For those struggling with substance abuse issues, seeking professional help, such as marijuana or cocaine detox in Los Angeles, can be a crucial step towards recovery and improving life outcomes.
Effects of Marijuana Use on Students
Whether a student smokes or uses a wax pen to consume marijuana, it still has some effect on them. Here are some of the effects of marijuana use on students.
- Grades- Students that use marijuana are likely to spend an inordinate amount of their time at parties. That means they may not spend more time studying than their peers who do not use marijuana. Additionally, cannabis can cause difficulties in concentrating, diminished memory, and poor judgment. This combined with depleted motivation can lead to poor academic performance.
- Personality changes- The THC chemical in marijuana increases the heart rate of a student. It also makes them lose coordination, has difficulties listening and speaking. This can interrupt social relationships and classwork. After using cannabis, the high feeling makes it hard for a student to acquire, comprehend, and retain information.
- Risky behavior- Students that use marijuana gravitate towards high-risk behaviors that are out of their personality tendencies. For instance, 9 out of 10 college students that use marijuana smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol too. They also engage in risky sexual behaviors. Since marijuana has a slow reaction time, some students drive under the influence and this puts them at the risk of causing automobile accidents.
- Health- Smoking marijuana puts college students at risk of developing respiratory diseases like emphysema and bronchitis. Young college students can also experience low sperm production and delayed sexual development.
Marijuana influences college students and their social life in many ways. It affects their academic performance or grades, health, personalities, and relationships. Effects of cannabis are rife especially on young students whose bodies and minds are still developing. So, before a student uses a wax vaporizer or smokes marijuana, it’s important to be wary of its influence and effects to make a wise decision.
