More than half of Americans who do not have their asthma under control are marijuana users, a new small study indicates.
Researchers have found that about a third of patients whose asthma is not treated and is out of control have smoked cannabis in the past, while a fifth report currently uses the drug.
What’s more, the patients were more likely to report positive benefits of the drug, such as less pain, reduced anxiety, euphoria and better sleep than negative effects such as wheezing and coughing,
The team, from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, says doctors should inquire about smoking in their asthma patients and recommend other potentially safer routes such as food.
A new study from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology found that 33% of uncontrolled asthma patients (in yellow) had smoked weeds in the past and 20.6% were currently users.
“It surprised me that more than half of the marijuana users in this study smoke asthma,” said lead researcher Dr. Joanna Zeiger of the Canna Research Foundation in Boulder, Colorado.
‘And further, of those with uncontrolled asthma, half reported smoking marijuana. We also found that people with asthma are not regularly asked or advised by their doctor about cannabis and how they consume it. ‘
For the survey, published in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the team recruited nearly 500 adults, 245 of whom had asthma.
Asthma is a chronic and incurable respiratory condition that causes the airways to become inflamed or swollen, making it difficult to breathe.
Signs and symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, a tight chest and cough, and this can worsen during an asthma attack.
Treatment usually includes long-term control medications that are inhaled regularly to control symptoms.
Of the 245 respondents, 148 had asthma control, meaning they experienced very few symptoms during the day and night – and 97 had uncontrolled asthma.
Nearly 60 percent of people with asthma have reported cannabis use at least once.
A total of 33 percent of the uncontrolled asthma sufferers have ever used weeds and 20.6 percent were currently users.
This is compared to about 12 percent of the U.S. population who smoke pot.
This is similar to the rates found among controlled asthma patients, of whom 39.9 percent were ever users and 20.9 percent were current users.
Most patients reported positive effects from using the drug because 75 percent said it helps with sleep, 68 percent said it was sedative and reduced pain, and 67 percent decreased.
Meanwhile, only 21.6 percent reported that cannabis increases their anxiety and 19.3 percent cough.
Surprisingly, 60 percent of asthma patients also say their doctors do not inquire whether they use marijuana.
“In order to manage their allergy / asthma patients more fully, allergists should increase their knowledge of cannabis and inquire about cannabis use, including cannabinoid types, route of use, reasons for use and adverse effects,” the co-author said of the study. allergy Dr. William Silvers.
He notes that smoking any substance, including marijuana, can irritate the lung tissue and cause an asthma attack.
“As with cigarette smoking, efforts should be made to reduce cannabis smoking, and to recommend other potentially safer routes such as edible and sublingual tinctures.”