# College Students & Marijuana: Skipping Classes, Lower GPAs, & Late Graduation Source: https://3rdmil.com/college_students__marijuana_skipping_classes_lower_gpas_late_graduation/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T15:37:46+00:00 College Students & Marijuana: Skipping Classes, Lower GPAs, & Late Graduation - 3rdmil - Blog [Skip to content](https://3rdmil.com/college_students__marijuana_skipping_classes_lower_gpas_late_graduation/#content) ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/bg_big_alt.svg) ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/shutterstock31.png) ## College Students & Marijuana: Skipping Classes, Lower GPAs, & Late Graduation A [new study](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26237288) [reports](http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/college-marijuana-use-linked-skipped-classes-lower-grades-late-graduation/) that college students who use marijuana during their first year of college have a tendency to consistently skip classes. As a result, their GPAs suffer and late graduation can eventually become a reality. “The more frequently a student uses marijuana, the more they tend to skip class, earn lower grades, and graduate later,” say Arria and colleagues from the University of Maryland School of Public Health. The results of the study showed that marijuana use adversely affects college academic outcomes. The primary objective of the study was to show how marijuana use during college can be a barrier to academic achievement and how prevention and early intervention might be important components of a comprehensive strategy for promoting postsecondary academic success. When the rubber meets the ground, it’s the relationship between marijuana use and academic problems that is cause for concern. College students who use cannabis show decreased motivation with their courses and, subsequently, their academic performance. Additionally, marijuana use can cause **difficulty retaining information**, such as that presented in a traditional classroom setting. Certain risk and protective factors, such as demographics, college engagement, psychological functioning, and alcohol and other drug use, are thought to contribute to college academic outcomes, the study mentions. More cause for alarm might be the fact that mental health problems and substance use peak between the ages of 18 and 25. This represents an ever-present need for prevention and intervention measures to be made a priority on college campuses. Though most college students are legal adults, it’s vital that “\[parents\] talk to their teens about making the educational aspects of college a priority, and how using substances can impair their academic success.” The frontrunners of this study are “urging college administrators to integrate substance use screening within academic assistance centers.” 3rd Millennium Classrooms offers **[Cannabis Wise](https://3rdmil.com/cannabis-prevention/)** and **[THC 101](https://3rdmil.com/thc-101/)** for college students. **Cannabis Wise** is a prevention course that can be completed in less than one hour and can be paired with **Alcohol-Wise**, **Greek-Wise** or taken as a standalone. **THC 101** is an intervention course used as a sanction for on-campus student marijuana violations. - [Marijuana](https://3rdmil.com/tag/marijuana/) ## Popular Topics: - [Alcohol](https://3rdmil.com/category/alcohol/) - [Drugs](https://3rdmil.com/category/drugs/) - [Cannabis and THC](https://3rdmil.com/category/cannabis-and-thc/) - [Vaping and Nicotine](https://3rdmil.com/category/vaping-and-nicotine/) - [Human Trafficking](https://3rdmil.com/category/human-trafficking/) - [Healthy Relationships](https://3rdmil.com/category/healthy-relationships/) - [Universities and Colleges](https://3rdmil.com/category/universities-and-colleges/) - [High Schools and Middle Schools](https://3rdmil.com/category/high-schools-and-middle-schools/) [https://3rdmil.com/?s=](https://3rdmil.com/?s=) ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/search_desktop.svg) ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/search_mobile.svg) [see all articles tablet](https://3rdmil.com/?s=) ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/search_desktop.svg) ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/search_mobile.svg) [Page 1 32](https://3rdmil.com/?s=) ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Page-1-3.svg) ## Related Articles [![bg\_sec2](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/bg_sec2-qgm4sqdgtva4y0szr7luczafz6p3apz36ubh34q1g0.webp) ## AI and Academic Integrity: How Universities Can Prevent AI Cheating and Protect Their Reputation ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Little-Squares.svg)](https://3rdmil.com/ai-academic-integrity-higher-education/) [![Cannabis\_ A\_Detailed\_Guide-img](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Cannabis_-A_Detailed_Guide-img-scaled-1-qk224g3aw94ulf50ia25tol5l5prkigud7zuec2bbk.jpg) ## The 2018 Farm Bill Explained: What Schools, Courts, and Agencies Must Know in 2026 ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Little-Squares.svg)](https://3rdmil.com/the-2018-farm-bill-explained-what-schools-courts-and-agencies-must-know-in-2026/) [![hazing prevention photo](https://3rdmil-uploads.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/06212432/hazing-prevention-photo.jpg) ## Hazing Is a Multi-Million Dollar Problem for Universities: Here’s Why Prevention Matters ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Little-Squares.svg)](https://3rdmil.com/cost-of-hazing-universities/) [![Screenshot 2026-05-07 110053](https://3rdmil-uploads.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/07160103/Screenshot-2026-05-07-110053.png) ## Course Highlight: Hazing & Hosting ![](https://3rdmil.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Little-Squares.svg)](https://3rdmil.com/course-highlight-hazing-hosting/) [https://3rdmil.com/?s=](https://3rdmil.com/?s=)