Asthma linked to cannabis use among U.S. adolescents and adults

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A recent study has confirmed an often-asked question about the use of cannabis and the incidence of asthma. According to researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, City University of New York and Children’s National Hospital at George Washington University, the connection is more common among U.S. individuals who reported cannabis use in the past 30 days, with the odds of asthma being significantly even greater among individuals who reported cannabis use 20 to 30 days per month.

Although many have theorized about the link, little was known about the use of cannabis among youth and its relationship with asthma until this study. According to the study data, the more frequent the use, the higher the likelihood of asthma and there is little change after adjusting for cigarette use.

“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,” corresponding author Renee Goodwin, PhD, said in a press release. Dr. Goodwin is a professor of epidemiology at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and Epidemiology at the City University of New York said in a press release.

The study examined the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a representative, annual survey of 32,893 individuals in the U.S. aged 12 and older. Researchers used regression modeling to examine the relationship between frequency of any cannabis and/or blunt (i.e., cannabis smoked in a hollowed-out cigar) use in the past 30 days among individuals with current asthma and adjusted for demographics and current cigarette use.

“Our findings add a significant layer to the nascent body of research on potential harms associated with cannabis use by being the first to show a link between cannabis use in the community and respiratory health risks; specifically increased asthma prevalence,” Dr. Goodwin said. “Examining asthma prevalence in both adolescents and adults helps to inform public health initiatives and policies geared towards mitigating its risks and underscores the importance of understanding the interplay between cannabis use and respiratory health.”

The study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

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