Risk Factors Associated With Driving After Marijuana Use Among US College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE: To assess the sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors associated with driving after marijuana use among US college students. METHODS: A secondary analysis used the fall 2020 and spring 2021 American College Health Association- National College Health Assessment III and the dataset was restricted to college students ≥18 years of age who reported recent driving and marijuana use. Associations between risk factors and driving after marijuana use were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 29.9% (n = 4,947) of the respondents reported driving after marijuana use. Males (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.48–1.82), non-Hispanic Black (AOR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.02–1.71), sexual minorities (AOR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.07–1.31), individuals with an alcohol or substance use disorder (AOR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.08–1.91), anxiety (AOR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.06–1.36), higher suicidality (AOR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.07–1.31), and those who also drank and drove (AOR: 3.18, 95% CI: 2.84–3.57) had a higher risk of driving after marijuana use. DISCUSSION: Future research should focus on increasing awareness of driving after marijuana use and prevention programs and/or strategies on college campuses regarding driving after marijuana use for these groups to reduce this risky behavior.