College Sports Participation May Buffer Mental Health Risks of Cannabis Use
Among 150,992 college students, organized sports participation moderated the link between cannabis use and mental health diagnoses, with student-athletes showing lower rates of depression and anxiety across all cannabis use levels.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Higher cannabis use frequency was associated with greater likelihood of depression, anxiety, and PTSD diagnoses. However, organized sports participation significantly moderated this relationship — student-athletes had lower mental health diagnosis rates at every level of cannabis use compared to non-athletes.
Key Numbers
150,992 participants. 87.5% ages 18-29, 70.3% female, 72.3% non-Hispanic White. Weekly-to-daily cannabis users had highest mental health diagnosis rates. Sports participation significantly lowered rates across all cannabis use levels (p < 0.001).
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of National College Health Assessment III data (Fall 2019-Fall 2023) examining 150,992 participants for associations between cannabis use, mental health diagnoses, and organized sports participation as a moderator.
Why This Research Matters
This massive dataset suggests sports don't just benefit mental health generally — they specifically buffer the mental health risks associated with cannabis use, providing a concrete, actionable protective factor for college health programs.
The Bigger Picture
Rather than focusing solely on reducing cannabis use among college students, encouraging sports participation could be a complementary strategy that reduces associated mental health risks without requiring abstinence.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design — healthier students may both play sports and have fewer mental health issues. Self-reported diagnoses and cannabis use. Cannot determine if sports participation preceded cannabis use or vice versa.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does the protective effect of sports persist after graduation?
- ?Would intramural and recreational sports show similar benefits as organized sports?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Very large national sample with clear moderation effects, but cross-sectional design limits causal claims about sports participation's protective role.
- Study Age:
- Recent analysis of 2019-2023 data from the largest college health survey in the US.
- Original Title:
- Moderating Effect of Participation in Organized College Sports on Mental Health and Frequency of Cannabis Use in a National Cohort.
- Published In:
- American journal of preventive medicine, 70(4), 108148 (2025)
- Authors:
- Zeiger, Joanna S(2), Conner, Bradley T(5)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-08027
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can playing sports protect against cannabis-related mental health risks?
This study suggests yes — student-athletes had lower rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD at every level of cannabis use compared to non-athletes, though the cross-sectional design can't prove causation.
Does more cannabis use mean worse mental health in college?
The study found a dose-response relationship — weekly-to-daily cannabis users had the highest prevalence of mental health diagnoses, but sports participation significantly reduced this association.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-08027APA
Zeiger, Joanna S; Conner, Bradley T. (2025). Moderating Effect of Participation in Organized College Sports on Mental Health and Frequency of Cannabis Use in a National Cohort.. American journal of preventive medicine, 70(4), 108148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2025.108148
MLA
Zeiger, Joanna S, et al. "Moderating Effect of Participation in Organized College Sports on Mental Health and Frequency of Cannabis Use in a National Cohort.." American journal of preventive medicine, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2025.108148
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Moderating Effect of Participation in Organized College Spor..." RTHC-08027. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/zeiger-2025-moderating-effect-of-participation
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.