One-Third of NYC Families in Apartments Report Marijuana Smoke Drifting In
About 31% of families with young children in New York City multiunit housing reported marijuana smoke entering their homes, with public housing residents more than three times as likely to be affected.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 382 surveyed families, 30.9% reported marijuana smoke incursions while home with their child, with NYCHA (public housing) residents 3.45 times more likely to report exposure compared to other housing types.
Key Numbers
382 surveys analyzed; 30.9% reported marijuana smoke incursions; 33.5% reported tobacco smoke incursions; NYCHA residents had adjusted OR of 3.45 for marijuana smoke exposure (p=0.02); two-thirds viewed marijuana smoke as harmful to their child.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional convenience sample of parents attending 4 pediatric practices in the Mount Sinai Health System (2018-2019), with anonymous questionnaires assessing housing characteristics and smoke incursions.
Why This Research Matters
Children in multiunit housing face involuntary exposure to marijuana smoke that parents cannot easily control, raising environmental health equity concerns especially for families in public housing.
The Bigger Picture
As marijuana legalization expands, policies addressing smoking in multiunit housing increasingly need to account for marijuana alongside tobacco to protect children from involuntary secondhand exposure.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Convenience sample from one health system; self-reported smell does not confirm actual secondhand smoke exposure levels; limited to New York City.
Questions This Raises
- ?Do children in housing with reported marijuana smoke incursions show detectable THC metabolites?
- ?Would building-wide smoke-free policies reduce incursion rates?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Public housing residents were 3.45x more likely to report secondhand marijuana smoke in their homes
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional survey with adequate sample size, limited by self-report and convenience sampling from one city.
- Study Age:
- Data collected 2018-2019 in New York City.
- Original Title:
- Reported Marijuana and Tobacco Smoke Incursions Among Families Living in Multiunit Housing in New York City.
- Published In:
- Academic pediatrics, 21(4), 670-676 (2021)
- Authors:
- Sangmo, Lodoe(2), Liu, Bian(3), Elaiho, Cordelia(2), Boguski, Lisa, Yaker, Michael, Resnick, Micah, Malbari, Alefiyah, Wilson, Karen M
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03494
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How common is secondhand marijuana smoke in apartments?
About 31% of families surveyed reported marijuana smoke drifting into their homes, a rate similar to tobacco smoke incursions (33.5%).
Are certain housing types more affected?
Yes. Residents of NYCHA public housing were 3.45 times more likely to report marijuana smoke incursions compared to other housing types.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03494APA
Sangmo, Lodoe; Liu, Bian; Elaiho, Cordelia; Boguski, Lisa; Yaker, Michael; Resnick, Micah; Malbari, Alefiyah; Wilson, Karen M. (2021). Reported Marijuana and Tobacco Smoke Incursions Among Families Living in Multiunit Housing in New York City.. Academic pediatrics, 21(4), 670-676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2021.01.005
MLA
Sangmo, Lodoe, et al. "Reported Marijuana and Tobacco Smoke Incursions Among Families Living in Multiunit Housing in New York City.." Academic pediatrics, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2021.01.005
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Reported Marijuana and Tobacco Smoke Incursions Among Famili..." RTHC-03494. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/sangmo-2021-reported-marijuana-and-tobacco
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.