Marijuana Use Linked to 77% Higher Depression Risk in Black Male College Students
Recent marijuana use was associated with a 77% increased likelihood of moderately severe to severe depression among Black male college students, with financial stress and racial discrimination compounding the risk.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Logistic regression analysis of 1,599 Black male collegians found that recent marijuana use increased the likelihood of experiencing moderately severe to severe depression by 77%. Younger students and those experiencing financial stress or racial discrimination were also at elevated risk.
Key Numbers
1,599 Black male collegians analyzed; 77% increased likelihood of moderately severe to severe depression with recent marijuana use; younger students at higher risk
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Healthy Minds Study (HMS), a web-based survey. 1,599 Black male college students analyzed using logistic regression to examine the relationship between marijuana use and depression severity.
Why This Research Matters
Black male college students face unique intersecting stressors -- racial discrimination, financial pressures, and cultural stigma around mental health help-seeking. This study highlights that marijuana use may compound rather than alleviate depression in this population.
The Bigger Picture
This adds to a growing body of research examining how social determinants of health interact with substance use. It challenges the self-medication narrative by showing marijuana use is associated with worse, not better, depression outcomes in this population.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine whether marijuana use preceded depression or vice versa. Self-reported data subject to recall and social desirability bias. Web-based survey may not be representative of all Black male college students. Did not control for marijuana frequency, potency, or mode of use.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does marijuana use precede depression onset, or are depressed students more likely to use marijuana?
- ?Would the association hold after controlling for cannabis use frequency and potency?
- ?How do campus-level factors (HBCU vs. PWI) influence this relationship?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 77% increased depression risk with recent marijuana use
- Evidence Grade:
- Large cross-sectional study using an established survey instrument, but cannot establish causation or directionality between marijuana use and depression.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025.
- Original Title:
- Associations Between Moderately Severe to Severe Depression and Marijuana Usage Among Black Male Collegians: Results from the Healthy Minds Study.
- Published In:
- Social work in public health, 40(5), 288-302 (2025)
- Authors:
- Richardson, Terrell T, Cain, Daphne S, Cheatham, Leah
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07491
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does this prove marijuana causes depression?
No. This is a cross-sectional study showing an association. It cannot determine whether marijuana use leads to depression, depression leads to marijuana use, or both share common underlying causes like stress and discrimination.
Why focus specifically on Black male college students?
This population faces unique intersecting stressors including racial discrimination, financial pressures, and cultural barriers to mental health treatment. Understanding how substance use interacts with these factors requires focused study.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07491APA
Richardson, Terrell T; Cain, Daphne S; Cheatham, Leah. (2025). Associations Between Moderately Severe to Severe Depression and Marijuana Usage Among Black Male Collegians: Results from the Healthy Minds Study.. Social work in public health, 40(5), 288-302. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2025.2475035
MLA
Richardson, Terrell T, et al. "Associations Between Moderately Severe to Severe Depression and Marijuana Usage Among Black Male Collegians: Results from the Healthy Minds Study.." Social work in public health, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2025.2475035
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Associations Between Moderately Severe to Severe Depression ..." RTHC-07491. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/richardson-2025-associations-between-moderately-severe
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.