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.
Read this if you're a student concerned about how substance use affects academic performance.
89% exam failure rate among cannabis-using medical students
What the researchers 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.
Why it 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 numbers in context
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 the study worked
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).
What this study cannot 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.
How to read the evidence
Cross-sectional survey with validated instruments but unable to establish causation for the cannabis-failure association.
When this study was published
Published in 2015 from French medical education data.
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.
Questions still open
- 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?
Common questions
Does cannabis affect academic performance?
How common is substance use among medical students?
Read the original research
Alcohol, cigarette, and illegal substance consumption among medical students: a cross-sectional survey.
Workplace health & safety, 63(2), 54-63
Citation
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
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