Marijuana Use Before Pregnancy Made Hispanic Women Less Likely to Quit Smoking When They Became Pregnant
Among 351 Hispanic women who smoked before pregnancy, those with pre-pregnancy marijuana use were 23-49% less likely to quit smoking at pregnancy onset.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers examined factors associated with quitting smoking at pregnancy onset in 351 Hispanic (predominantly Puerto Rican) women from Massachusetts.
45% of women quit smoking when they learned they were pregnant.
Women who used marijuana before pregnancy were significantly less likely to quit smoking (23-49% less likely in multivariate analyses). Other factors associated with continued smoking included high stress, higher pre-pregnancy cigarette consumption (20+ per day), and having previous children.
Factors associated with quitting included being born outside the United States, having a family history of diabetes, and being non-Puerto Rican Hispanic.
Key Numbers
351 Hispanic women. 45% quit at pregnancy onset. Marijuana users were 23-49% less likely to quit. Heavy smokers (20+ cigarettes/day) had RR 0.44 for quitting vs light smokers.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a prospective cohort study (Latina Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Study). 351 Hispanic prenatal care patients who smoked in the year before pregnancy were analyzed. Logistic regression with backward elimination identified independent predictors of quitting.
Why This Research Matters
Smoking during pregnancy is a major preventable risk factor. Understanding why some women do not quit when they become pregnant can help design targeted interventions, particularly for populations where marijuana co-use is a barrier.
The Bigger Picture
Co-use of marijuana and tobacco is increasingly common, and this study showed that marijuana use creates an additional barrier to smoking cessation during pregnancy, a period when quitting motivation is typically highest.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design at enrollment. Self-reported smoking and marijuana use. Predominantly Puerto Rican sample may not generalize to other populations. Marijuana use was measured as any use, without quantifying amount or frequency.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does marijuana use causally prevent smoking cessation, or does it reflect higher overall risk-taking?
- ?Would addressing marijuana use in prenatal care improve smoking cessation rates?
- ?Do these patterns apply to other racial/ethnic groups?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Marijuana-using women were 23-49% less likely to quit smoking when they became pregnant
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional analysis from a prospective cohort with appropriate multivariate controls. Single-population sample limits generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2010. Co-occurring marijuana and tobacco use during pregnancy has received increasing research attention since then.
- Original Title:
- Correlates of smoking cessation at pregnancy onset among Hispanic women in Massachusetts.
- Published In:
- American journal of health promotion : AJHP, 25(2), 100-8 (2010)
- Authors:
- Haskins, Amy, Bertone-Johnson, Elizabeth(2), Pekow, Penelope, Carbone, Elena, Chasan-Taber, Lisa
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00420
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why would marijuana use make it harder to quit smoking?
Several explanations are possible: marijuana and tobacco are often used together, marijuana users may have higher tolerance for substance use during pregnancy, or marijuana use may reflect broader patterns of risk behavior. The study found an association but could not determine the mechanism.
Did the women also continue using marijuana during pregnancy?
The study measured pre-pregnancy marijuana use as a predictor of smoking cessation. It did not specifically report marijuana use continuation during pregnancy.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00420APA
Haskins, Amy; Bertone-Johnson, Elizabeth; Pekow, Penelope; Carbone, Elena; Chasan-Taber, Lisa. (2010). Correlates of smoking cessation at pregnancy onset among Hispanic women in Massachusetts.. American journal of health promotion : AJHP, 25(2), 100-8. https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.090223-QUAN-77
MLA
Haskins, Amy, et al. "Correlates of smoking cessation at pregnancy onset among Hispanic women in Massachusetts.." American journal of health promotion : AJHP, 2010. https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.090223-QUAN-77
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Correlates of smoking cessation at pregnancy onset among His..." RTHC-00420. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/haskins-2010-correlates-of-smoking-cessation
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.