Cannabis Use Disorder Linked to 2.4x Higher Mortality in Hospitalized Asthma Patients
Among 552,160 asthma hospitalizations, patients with cannabis use disorder had 2.4 times higher in-hospital mortality and 1.35 times higher odds of severe exacerbations after adjustment.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
CUD was present in 4.2% of asthma hospitalizations (23,300 patients). CUD patients were younger (mean 35.3 vs. 51.4 years) and more often male. Adjusted mortality OR: 2.40 (95% CI 1.62-3.55). Severe exacerbation adjusted OR: 1.35 (95% CI 1.07-1.71). Hospital charges were significantly higher in CUD group. No difference in length of stay.
Key Numbers
552,160 asthma hospitalizations. 4.2% (23,300) had CUD. CUD: mean age 35.3 vs. 51.4 years. Mortality: aOR 2.40 (CI 1.62-3.55). Severe exacerbation: aOR 1.35 (CI 1.07-1.71). Higher hospital charges: +$2,091 (p=0.004). No LOS difference.
How They Did This
Retrospective cohort analysis of Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2016-2021). 552,160 asthma hospitalizations stratified by CUD status. Logistic regression for mortality and exacerbation risk; linear regression for charges and LOS, adjusted for demographics and hospital factors.
Why This Research Matters
With over 300 million people worldwide affected by asthma and increasing cannabis use, understanding how CUD affects asthma outcomes has direct clinical implications for a large population.
The Bigger Picture
The 2.4x mortality risk is striking, though the younger age and demographic differences of CUD patients suggest possible confounders beyond cannabis itself. The adjusted analysis attempted to address this, but residual confounding remains possible.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Administrative database with ICD coding limitations. CUD diagnosis does not specify active vs. historical use or consumption method. Cannot determine if cannabis directly caused worse outcomes. Healthy user bias unlikely here since CUD implies problematic use. Residual confounding possible.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does cannabis smoking specifically worsen asthma outcomes, or is CUD a marker for other risk factors?
- ?Would edible cannabis users show the same associations?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Very large national dataset with adjusted analyses, but administrative data limitations and potential residual confounding limit to moderate.
- Study Age:
- NIS data from 2016-2021.
- Original Title:
- The Effect of Cannabis Use Disorder on Mortality and Other Outcomes in Asthma: A Nationwide Analysis (2016-2021).
- Published In:
- Cureus, 17(10), e94969 (2025)
- Authors:
- Sule-Saa, Samuel, Hein, Pyae Phyo, Sackey, Jeffrey A, Pinkrah, Daniel, Towfig, Muhanned, Akella, Anusha, Kotei, Rebecca, DiCasoli, Richard, Sherazi, Andleeb, Panigrahi, Kalpana
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07744
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is cannabis dangerous for people with asthma?
This study found asthma patients with cannabis use disorder had 2.4 times higher in-hospital mortality and more severe exacerbations. However, the study cannot determine if cannabis directly caused worse outcomes or if CUD is a marker for other risk factors.
Does the way you use cannabis matter for asthma?
The study could not distinguish between smoking, vaping, or edible cannabis use. Since inhaled cannabis would directly irritate airways, the route of consumption likely matters but was not assessed.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07744APA
Sule-Saa, Samuel; Hein, Pyae Phyo; Sackey, Jeffrey A; Pinkrah, Daniel; Towfig, Muhanned; Akella, Anusha; Kotei, Rebecca; DiCasoli, Richard; Sherazi, Andleeb; Panigrahi, Kalpana. (2025). The Effect of Cannabis Use Disorder on Mortality and Other Outcomes in Asthma: A Nationwide Analysis (2016-2021).. Cureus, 17(10), e94969. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.94969
MLA
Sule-Saa, Samuel, et al. "The Effect of Cannabis Use Disorder on Mortality and Other Outcomes in Asthma: A Nationwide Analysis (2016-2021).." Cureus, 2025. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.94969
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "The Effect of Cannabis Use Disorder on Mortality and Other O..." RTHC-07744. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/sule-saa-2025-the-effect-of-cannabis
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.