Athletes may have different reasons for marijuana use

College athletes tend to be less likely than their non-athlete peers to smoke marijuana. But when they do, they may have some different reasons for it, according to a study in the July issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Past studies have shown that athletes generally smoke marijuana less often than other college students do.

"But there is still a pretty large number who choose to use it," said Jennifer F. Buckman, Ph.D., of the Center of Alcohol Studies at Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Because marijuana could have ill health effects -- and possibly hurt athletic performance -- that begs the question of why college athletes would use it, according to Buckman.

Athletes may have different reasons for marijuana use