Increases in asthma prevalence were found among teens in states that have legalized cannabis for recreational use, as well as among children in some minority racial and ethnic groups in states with recreational legalization, relative to states that remain fully illegal, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and The City University of New York. The results provide early evidence that legalizing and commercializing adult cannabis use may be related to a potential rise in asthma prevalence. The study is the first to examine the relationship between changes in cannabis policy for adult use and asthma prevalence among children and adolescents. The results are published online in the journal Preventive Medicine.
“Our findings suggest that state-level cannabis policy could have downstream impacts on children’s respiratory health,” said Renee D. Goodwin, Ph.D., adjunct associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and professor at The City University of New York. “Cannabis use is increasing among adults with children in the home, particularly in states which have legalized for medical or recreational use. Exposure to secondhand smoke is a key risk factor for asthma among children. This study offers a critical first step in identifying a key children’s health concern emerging in the context of rapid, ongoing changes in cannabis policy that are unaccompanied by clinical or public health guidelines for parents.”
Read more of the original article from MedicalXpress
