California Teens Exposed to Marijuana Secondhand Smoke at Rates Similar to Tobacco | Research

The takeaway

Among nearly 159,000 California students, secondhand marijuana smoke exposure was almost as common as secondhand tobacco smoke, and students with asthma were disproportionately exposed.

Parents, public health advocates, and anyone concerned about secondhand smoke exposure in children

12% of students with asthma exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke

What the researchers found

About 12% of students with asthma reported exposure to secondhand marijuana smoke, compared to 9.3% of students without asthma. Overall, secondhand marijuana smoke exposure was nearly as prevalent as secondhand tobacco smoke among middle and high school students.

Why it matters

As marijuana legalization expands across the US, secondhand exposure is likely increasing. This study highlights that kids with asthma, who are especially vulnerable to smoke exposure, are disproportionately affected by marijuana secondhand smoke.

The numbers in context

12.0% of students with asthma were exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke vs 9.3% without asthma. Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure was 13.4% vs 10.9%. Exposure to marijuana secondhand smoke was highest among 12th graders (12.2%).

How the study worked

Cross-sectional analysis of 158,937 8th, 10th, and 12th graders from the 2019-2020 California Student Tobacco Survey. Descriptive analyses examined exposure rates by asthma status and sociodemographic characteristics.

What this study cannot tell us

Cross-sectional design cannot establish causation. Self-reported exposure data may be subject to recall bias. The study was limited to California, which may not generalize to other states.

How to read the evidence

Large cross-sectional survey with strong sample size, but limited to one state and relies on self-reported exposure.

When this study was published

2024 study using 2019-2020 survey data

The bigger picture

Public health messaging around secondhand smoke has historically focused on tobacco. These findings suggest marijuana secondhand smoke needs similar attention, particularly for children with respiratory conditions.

Questions still open

Does secondhand marijuana smoke exposure actually worsen asthma outcomes, or are students with asthma simply in environments where smoking is more prevalent? How has exposure changed since marijuana legalization?

Common questions

Is secondhand marijuana smoke as common as secondhand tobacco smoke among teens?

In this California sample, it was close: about 10% of students were exposed to marijuana secondhand smoke compared to about 12% for tobacco.

Are kids with asthma more exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke?

Yes. Students with asthma reported higher rates of both marijuana and tobacco secondhand smoke exposure compared to their peers without asthma.

Read the original research

Secondhand smoke exposure and asthma status among adolescents: Findings from the 2019-2020 California Student Tobacco Survey.

Preventive medicine reports, 45, 102842

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Satybaldiyeva, Nora; Gamst, Anthony; Oren, Eyal; Park, Ji-Yeun; Zhu, Shu-Hong. (2024). Secondhand smoke exposure and asthma status among adolescents: Findings from the 2019-2020 California Student Tobacco Survey.. Preventive medicine reports, 45, 102842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102842