Nearly half of college students have tried CBD products, according to new research from the University of Georgia.
Researchers found more than 29% reported using CBD monthly or more to handle anxiety, stress and sleeping problems.
Published in the Journal of Substance Use, the study is the largest survey ever conducted on college students’ CBD use.
“People look back on college as a time of fun and freedom, and we sort of forget the anxiety that can come with it,” said Jennie Pless, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in the UGA School of Social Work. “We have students who are taking on a whole new world and living on their own for the first time with other life responsibilities. They have a lot going on and are not sleeping well, so they’re trying to find ways to navigate all of that.
“CBD is one of them.”
More students try CBD products like edibles with friends
Also known as cannabidiol, CBD is a compound found in cannabis. The FDA approved a medication with purified CBD to treat seizures this year.
Although scientists stress that the jury is still out on whether CBD is effective at treating other conditions, the Mayo Clinic reports active research into its use for conditions like Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and anxiety.
It’s unclear if there are potential risks and side effects from using unregulated CBD products, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CBD is legal for those 18 years and older to purchase in Georgia, as well as most of the United States. And it appears to be non-addictive and doesn’t get users high.
People in general, but especially college students, will try things because they are there.”
—Jennie Pless, School of Social Work
The present survey of more than 4,100 undergraduate students found that nearly half (48%) of participants tried CBD at least once, often because their friends had the products available, offered them in a social setting or recommended them.
“A lot of people said, ‘Why not?’ I think that speaks to the larger mindfulness about things that are out in the world. People in general, but especially college students, will try things because they are there,” Pless said.
Students preferred their CBD as edibles, the study found, with gummies being the particularly popular choice.
College towns are a natural spot for CBD businesses to set up shop, Pless said, since their primary residents are students juggling social lives, jobs and a plethora of assignments.
Students use CBD products to de-stress, reduce anxiety
The college students reported using CBD products to reduce anxiety and stress.
Nearly one in five students also said they believed CBD helped them fall asleep and improved their sleep quality.
Although previous studies show women are more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders, the present study found college-aged men were more willing to try and repeatedly use CBD products than their female peers.
“College students are anxious and they’re stressed, so they’re using CBD to relax and calm down,” Pless said.
This study’s co-authors also include School of Social Work doctoral students Kasandra Dodd and Jana Woodiwiss, alumni Fahmida Afroz and Brian Graves and adjunct professor Y. Joon Choi.