National survey mapped where Americans use cannabis and whether homes have rules about it | Research

The takeaway

A nationally representative US survey found most cannabis use occurs at home, with many users reporting no household rules restricting indoor use, raising secondhand exposure concerns.

Public health officials, policymakers, parents, and researchers studying secondhand cannabis exposure.

Most cannabis use occurred at home; many households had no restriction rules

What the researchers found

Cannabis was most commonly used at home, and many households lacked rules restricting indoor cannabis use. This creates potential secondhand and thirdhand exposure risks for non-users including children.

Why it matters

As cannabis legalization expands, understanding where people use and who is exposed secondhand is critical for public health policy, particularly regarding children and non-consenting adults.

The numbers in context

Nationally representative US sample from 2020. Most cannabis use occurred at home. Many households reported no rules restricting indoor cannabis combustion or aerosolization.

How the study worked

Cross-sectional analysis of the Marijuana Use and Environmental Survey 2020, a nationally representative US survey. Examined locations of cannabis use, presence of other people during use, and household rules about cannabis.

What this study cannot tell us

Cross-sectional survey with self-reported data. Social desirability may affect reporting. Survey conducted in 2020 during COVID-19, which may have increased home-based use. Cannot measure actual secondhand exposure levels from survey data alone.

How to read the evidence

Nationally representative survey with appropriate methodology. Limited by self-report and cross-sectional design.

When this study was published

Published 2023. Survey data from 2020.

The bigger picture

Smoke-free home norms developed over decades for tobacco have not equivalently transferred to cannabis. As cannabis becomes legal in more states, secondhand cannabis smoke exposure may increase without corresponding public health messaging.

Questions still open

Would public health campaigns promoting cannabis-free indoor air norms reduce secondhand exposure? How do cannabis home-use patterns differ between legalized and non-legalized states?

Common questions

Is secondhand cannabis smoke harmful?

Cannabis combustion produces many of the same harmful byproducts as tobacco smoke. While research on secondhand cannabis exposure is less extensive than for tobacco, the shared chemistry of combustion suggests similar concerns, particularly for children and people with respiratory conditions.

Where do most people use cannabis?

This national survey found that home was the most common location for cannabis use. Many cannabis users reported that their households had no rules restricting indoor use, creating potential exposure for other household members including children.

Read the original research

Location and home rules of cannabis use - Findings from marijuana use and environmental survey 2020, a nationally representative survey in the United States.

Preventive medicine reports, 35, 102289

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Tripathi, Osika; Bellettiere, John; Liles, Sandy; Shi, Yuyan. (2023). Location and home rules of cannabis use - Findings from marijuana use and environmental survey 2020, a nationally representative survey in the United States.. Preventive medicine reports, 35, 102289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102289