The National Institute of Health and the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism awarded James Murphy, a University of Memphis associate psychology professor, a $400,000 grant for a study aimed at reducing marijuana use among college students. 

The grant will supplement an ongoing larger study at the University of Memphis and the University of Missouri focused on reducing heavy drinking among college students. Over the past eight years while conducting alcohol prevention research, Murphy said they also measured results from heavy marijuana users because “over half of our heavy drinkers also use marijuana.”

Both studies practice a new intervention approach developed by the U of M’s psychology department. Using “brief motivational interventions” Murphy found that “not just talking about drinking and drug use, but also talking about what students want to get from college, life, goals and how those things might be impacted by drinking and drug use, also reduced marijuana use over time.”

The two-year study to reduce student marijuana use begins this fall at the U of M.  In an email, students will be asked to complete a survey, and those that report heavy marijuana use will be invited to participate in the trial. 

Participants will receive either extra course credit or money for their involvement. 

The trial consists of two 50-60 minute one-on-one counseling sessions for students to share what they like and don’t like about marijuana use, and maybe potential benefits to changing. 

“We try to give them really specific information to help them pursue their goals,” Murphy said. “A student might say they are interested in law school, but might know very little about what they need to do to be competitive for law school.” 

Unlike alcohol, with marijuana there is no threat of an overdose. According to a 1988 ruling from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, someone smoking marijuana would have to consume 20,000 to 40,000 times the amount of THC in a joint to be at risk of dying. 

However, similar to alcohol, some people allow marijuana – like any substance – to dominate their lives. Other risks include impaired driving, memory loss and when mixed with other drugs, increased impairment that could lead to risky behavior.

“A lot of students using marijuana start to do it more and more, and organize their time, money and lives around smoking. It tends to erode or eat away at things they used to do, activities whether exercising, going to class, being involved with family or pursuing other hobbies,” Murphy said. 

The study is targeted to freshman and sophomore students who will be notified through email and classroom surveys. But for students interested in changing their marijuana use, Murphy recommends two on-campus resources: free and confidential counseling at the student-counseling center and the psychological services center. 

“The idea is that if students are more engaged in their major, their career and other volunteer activities that are important to them, it reduces the free time, boredom, and lack of motivation that might lead to more drug use,” he said. 

With a long history of receiving grants from the NIH, the U of M psychology department currently has grants to study gambling addiction, tobacco addiction, alcohol misuse and now marijuana use.