California Teens Exposed to Marijuana Secondhand Smoke at Rates Similar to Tobacco
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.
Quick Facts
What This Study 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.
Key Numbers
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 They Did This
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.
Why This Research 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 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.
What This Study Doesn't 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.
Questions This Raises
- ?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?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 12% of students with asthma exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke
- Evidence Grade:
- Large cross-sectional survey with strong sample size, but limited to one state and relies on self-reported exposure.
- Study Age:
- 2024 study using 2019-2020 survey data
- Original Title:
- Secondhand smoke exposure and asthma status among adolescents: Findings from the 2019-2020 California Student Tobacco Survey.
- Published In:
- Preventive medicine reports, 45, 102842 (2024)
- Authors:
- Satybaldiyeva, Nora(6), Gamst, Anthony(3), Oren, Eyal, Park, Ji-Yeun, Zhu, Shu-Hong
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05685
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked 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.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05685APA
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
MLA
Satybaldiyeva, Nora, et al. "Secondhand smoke exposure and asthma status among adolescents: Findings from the 2019-2020 California Student Tobacco Survey.." Preventive medicine reports, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102842
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Secondhand smoke exposure and asthma status among adolescent..." RTHC-05685. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/satybaldiyeva-2024-secondhand-smoke-exposure-and
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.