A new study has found a link between cannabis use and asthma prevalence in the U.S. population. The study, published in the journal Preventive Medicine, analyzed data from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which included 32,893 individuals aged 12 and older. The researchers looked at the association between the frequency of any cannabis, blunt use, or both in the past month and current asthma while controlling for demographic and cigarette smoking factors.
Cannabis Use and Asthma: What is the Connection?
Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease that affects about 8% of the U.S. population. It is characterized by symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing, caused by the narrowing and inflammation of the airways in the lungs. Asthma can be triggered by various factors, including smoke exposure.
Cannabis, or marijuana, is the third most used psychoactive substance worldwide, after alcohol and tobacco. The potency of cannabis has increased significantly over the past two decades, which may contribute to the higher rates of adverse effects related to the substance. Some of these effects include respiratory, cardiovascular, cognitive, and psychiatric problems.
Smoking cannabis may cause or worsen respiratory symptoms and possibly respiratory disease. The available data suggests that smoking cannabis is associated with:
- Cough
- Sputum production
- Wheezing
- Dyspnea
Cannabis inhalation may also exacerbate symptoms in people with asthma, but the association between chronic cannabis use and asthma has been unclear until now.
Cannabis Use and Asthma: What Are the Findings?
The study found that current asthma was more prevalent in individuals who reported using cannabis in the past 30 days compared to those who did not. Specifically, about 9.8% of cannabis users had asthma, as opposed to 7.4% of non-users. This difference was even more pronounced among heavy users, those who used cannabis for 20 to 30 days in a month. The likelihood of having asthma was notably higher in this group.
The study also found that blunt use, which is cannabis rolled in cigar wrappers, was associated with a higher asthma prevalence than other forms of cannabis use. Blunt use may expose users to additional toxins and irritants from the tobacco leaf and the combustion process.
The researchers adjusted for potential confounding factors such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, and cigarette smoking. They found that the association between cannabis use and asthma remained significant even after accounting for these variables.
Cannabis Use and Asthma: What Are the Implications?
The study is the first to show a link between cannabis use and asthma prevalence in the U.S. population. The findings add to the growing body of evidence on the potential harms of cannabis use, especially for respiratory health. The study also highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between cannabis use and asthma, as well as the role of different modes of cannabis consumption, such as blunt use.
The researchers suggest that further studies are needed to confirm the causal relationship between cannabis use and asthma and to explore the underlying mechanisms and pathways. They also recommend that public health initiatives and policies should consider the possible impact of cannabis use on asthma risk and outcomes, especially in light of the increasing legalization and social acceptance of cannabis in many states.
The study’s corresponding author, Dr. Renee Goodwin, said: “With the growing use of cannabis across the U.S., understanding potential links between cannabis use and asthma is increasingly relevant to population health. This relationship is an emerging area and requires thorough collaborative investigation by experts in these fields.”