This document summarizes research on the effects of marijuana and alcohol on academic performance. It finds weak negative correlations between the frequency of marijuana and alcohol use and GPA. Students who use drugs and alcohol tend to skip more classes and have lower grades, especially in English and math. While marijuana was linked to increased extracurricular activities, both substances were associated with decreased initiative and increased classes skipped. Overall, alcohol appeared to have a more significant negative impact on academic metrics like averages, math marks, classes skipped, and initiative compared to marijuana.

1. The Effects of Marijuana and Alcohol on Academic Performance

2. Marijuana An illegal mind altering drug that can be smoked or eaten. It has been proven that after use one will experience short term memory loss and distorted thinking and problem solving No large scale, valid study has ever proven marijuana has negative long term effects on the brain

3. Alcohol Also classified as a drug Alcohol depresses the central nervous system and causes various effects based on the amount consumed After the short term effects wear off, it has been proven that there is damage to parts of the brain associated with physical conditioning and learning

7. Hypothesis Weak negative correlation between the frequencies of drinking and smoking and students averages, math and English marks Students who drink or smoke will feel a decrease in initiative and a significant relief of stress. Students who smoke or drink will be involved in the same amount of extracurricular activities, but will skip more classes in a month. There is no significant difference between the effects of alcohol on academic performance, and the effects of marijuana

9. 26% of students stated they drink daily

11. English Marks Alcohol (r= -0.32) Marijuana (r= -0.323)

12. Math Marks Alcohol (r= -0.311) Marijuana (r= -0.127)

13. Classes Skipped in a Month Alcohol (r= 0.54) Marijuana (r= 0.518)

14. Hours Spent in Extra Curricular Activities Compared to Frequency of Smoking (r= 0.46)

15. Initiative Alcohol (r= 0.39) Marijuana (r= 0.35) (Scale of 1 to 10, 1 being significantly increases initiative and 10 being significantly decreases initiative)

16. Conclusions The more one smokes or drinks the lower their marks tend to be The more one smokes the more hours they tend to be spend in extracurricular activities The more one smokes or drinks, the more classes they tend to skip in a month The more one smokes or drinks the more it decreases their initiative

17. Alcohol had a more significant negative impact on averages, math marks, classes skipped, and initiative