Inhaled Marijuana Linked to Increased Risk of Asthma Attacks: Study
A new study published in the journal of CHEST showed that over the course of the next year, inhaled marijuana usage was substantially linked to an increased risk of asthma episodes.
Inhaling cannabis has become more common among a variety of demographics as marijuana legalization spreads around the world. Cannabis smoke includes many of the same chemicals and respiratory irritants as tobacco smoke, despite the fact that it is frequently thought to be less dangerous.
Inhaling marijuana offers serious hazards for those with asthma, a chronic inflammatory respiratory illness. There may be a worrying link between marijuana use and more frequent asthma episodes, according to new clinical research. Knowing this association is essential for both patients and healthcare professionals because it emphasizes the need for focused respiratory health education and careful assessment of how cannabis use practices affect the management of chronic asthma. Thus, this study evaluated the relationship between marijuana inhalation and asthma attacks in adult asthmatics in the United States.
This research was conducted using waves 4 through 6 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) project, a longitudinal investigation of tobacco use and its effects on many facets of health. People who did not use marijuana were compared to those who either inhaled combustible marijuana, breathed electronically delivered marijuana, or used both at their baseline wave (dichotomous variables) in terms of the occurrence of asthma episodes in follow-up waves.
Self-reported usage of oral or injectable corticosteroids to treat an attack within the previous 12 months was used to determine if asthma episodes were present. A weighted multivariable logistic regression model that adjusted for baseline variables was used for statistical analysis.
Inhaling marijuana was substantially associated with increased incidence of asthma exacerbations one year after baseline in this trial with 4,477 individuals.
The odds of reporting an asthma attack in the next wave were higher for marijuana users who inhaled combustible marijuana products only (smoke; OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.12-2.40; P <.05), electronic products only (vape; OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.06-3.08; P <.05), or both combustible and electronic products (smoke and vape; OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.01-2.45; P <.05).
Overall, smoking marijuana was substantially associated with an increased incidence of asthma episodes starting at the one-year baseline. More studies are required to fully comprehend marijuana's long-term consequences on respiratory health, particularly asthma outcomes, given the rising use of the drug among young adults.
Reference:
Tanu, F., Mortensen, E. M., Sacco, S. J., Demirci, D., & Perez, M. F. (2026). Association of inhaling marijuana with asthma attacks: An analysis of nationally representative survey data. Chest, 170(1), 32–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2026.03.004
