French medical students who used cannabis were far more likely to fail their exams
Among 255 French medical students, cannabis users failed exams at a rate of 89% compared to 39% for non-users, and 10% of all participants had considered suicide in the past year.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
A survey of 255 randomly selected French medical students found substantial rates of substance use. AUDIT scores indicated 11% were at risk for alcohol addiction and 21% were high-risk drinkers. Strong tobacco dependence affected 12%. The CAST screening tool showed 5% of cannabis users needed healthcare services.
The most striking finding was academic performance: cannabis users failed their medical school examinations at a rate of 89% compared to 39% for non-users. One quarter of participants had used other illegal drugs beyond cannabis, and 10% had considered suicide in the past 12 months.
The authors called for preventive measures, screening, and healthcare services for psychoactive substance consumption among medical students.
Key Numbers
255 medical students surveyed. 11% at risk for alcohol addiction. 21% high-risk alcohol users. 12% strong tobacco dependence. 5% of cannabis users needed healthcare. Cannabis users: 89% exam failure rate vs. 39% non-users. 10% considered suicide in past year.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey of 255 randomly selected second-to-sixth year French medical students from a pool of 1,021. Self-administered questionnaires assessed substance use with validated instruments: AUDIT (alcohol), Fagerstrom (tobacco), and CAST (cannabis).
Why This Research Matters
Medical students face unique stressors and will become the clinicians treating substance use disorders. High rates of substance use and the dramatic association between cannabis use and exam failure in this population highlight the need for support programs within medical education.
The Bigger Picture
The health of future physicians matters both for their own wellbeing and for the quality of care they will provide. High substance use rates among medical students are documented across many countries, and this French study adds concerning data about academic consequences.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine whether cannabis caused exam failure or whether struggling students turned to cannabis. French medical education system may not generalize. Self-reported data. Selection bias is possible despite random sampling.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does cannabis use cause exam failure, or do students who are already struggling use cannabis to cope?
- ?Would medical schools benefit from routine substance screening?
- ?How does substance use among medical students compare to their eventual prescribing patterns?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 89% exam failure rate among cannabis-using medical students
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional survey with validated instruments but unable to establish causation for the cannabis-failure association.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2015 from French medical education data.
- Original Title:
- Alcohol, cigarette, and illegal substance consumption among medical students: a cross-sectional survey.
- Published In:
- Workplace health & safety, 63(2), 54-63 (2015)
- Authors:
- Gignon, M, Havet, E, Ammirati, C, Traullé, S, Manaouil, C, Balcaen, T, Loas, G, Dubois, G, Ganry, O
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00966
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis affect academic performance?
In this study, medical students who used cannabis failed exams at much higher rates (89% vs. 39%). However, the study cannot determine whether cannabis caused the failure or whether other factors explain both cannabis use and poor performance.
How common is substance use among medical students?
In this French sample, 21% were high-risk alcohol users, 12% had strong tobacco dependence, and a meaningful percentage used cannabis and other drugs. Similar patterns have been reported in medical schools internationally.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00966APA
Gignon, M; Havet, E; Ammirati, C; Traullé, S; Manaouil, C; Balcaen, T; Loas, G; Dubois, G; Ganry, O. (2015). Alcohol, cigarette, and illegal substance consumption among medical students: a cross-sectional survey.. Workplace health & safety, 63(2), 54-63. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165079915570917
MLA
Gignon, M, et al. "Alcohol, cigarette, and illegal substance consumption among medical students: a cross-sectional survey.." Workplace health & safety, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165079915570917
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Alcohol, cigarette, and illegal substance consumption among ..." RTHC-00966. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/gignon-2015-alcohol-cigarette-and-illegal
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.