Marijuana, Alcohol Use Increase The Risk Of Unsafe Sex

Neither alcohol nor marijuana are a good idea. But they're even worse when it comes to increasing the risk of unsafe sexual practices. 

New findings published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that undergraduate college students were much more likely to engage in sexual behaviors when under the influence of certain substances.

Researchers from Oregon State University noted that their findings draw attention to some more common risky sexual behaviors in college students, especially since binge drinking and being in a serious dating relationship also were linked with less condom use, putting young adults at risk for sexually-transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies,

"People may judge risks, such as whether they will regret having sex or whether they should use a condom, differently when they are drunk," researcher David Kerr, an associate professor in the School of Psychological Science at OSU, said in a statement.

During the study, the researchers analyzed data from about 300 college students who reported their marijuana use, sexual activity without a condom and drinking for 24 consecutive days. Binge drinking was defined as four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men.

Researchers found that not only were college students more likely to have sex on days when they had been smoking marijuana, but they also found that condom use was least likely when the student was using another form of birth control--increasing the risk of STIs.

"When people are in a serious relationship they may think, 'We can stop using condoms,' " Kerr said. "But if someone has unprotected sex with multiple monogamous partners over their college years, the risks can add up."

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