More than half of Americans who do not have their asthma under control are marijuana users, a new small study suggests.
The researchers found that about a third of patients whose asthma has not been treated and is out of control have smoked cannabis in the past, while a fifth reported that they currently use the drug.
Furthermore, patients were more likely to report positive benefits of the drug, such as less pain, decreased 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 need to ask about smoking in their asthma patients and recommend other potentially safer routes, such as food.
A new study by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology found that, of patients with uncontrolled asthma (in yellow), 33% had smoked marijuana in the past and 20.6% were current users
“I was surprised that more than half of the cannabis users in this study who have asthma were smoking it,” said lead researcher, Dr. Joanna Zeiger, of the Canna Research Foundation in Boulder, Colorado.
“And in addition, of those with uncontrolled asthma, half reported smoking cannabis. We also found that people with asthma are not routinely asked or advised by their doctors about cannabis and how they use it. ‘
For the research, published in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the team recruited about 500 adults, 245 of whom had asthma.
Asthma is a chronic and incurable respiratory disease that causes the airways to become inflamed or swollen, making breathing difficult.
Signs and symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest and cough, and can get worse during an asthma attack.
Treatment usually includes long-term control medications that are usually inhaled to control symptoms.
Of the 245 respondents, 148 have controlled asthma – meaning that they experience very few symptoms during the day and night – and 97 have uncontrolled asthma.
Almost 60 percent of people with asthma reported using cannabis at least once in the past or today.
A total of 33% of patients with uncontrolled asthma have used marijuana and 20.6% were current users.
That’s compared to about 12 percent of the US population who smoke marijuana.
These rates are similar to those observed among patients with controlled asthma, of which 39.9% were former users and 20.9% were current users.
Most patients reported positive effects from the use of the drug, as 75% said it helped with sleep, 68% said it was soothing and reduced pain, and 67% reported decreasing anxiety.
Meanwhile, only 21.6 percent reported that cannabis increased their anxiety and 19.3 percent reported coughing.
In addition, surprisingly, 60 percent of asthma patients said their doctors did not ask whether they were using marijuana or not.
“In order to more fully manage their allergy / asthma patients, allergists must increase their knowledge of cannabis and ask about cannabis use, including types of cannabinoid, route of use, reasons for use and adverse effects,” said the co. – author of the study and allergist Dr. William Silvers.
He notes that smoking any substance, including marijuana, can irritate lung tissue and trigger an asthma attack.
“As with smoking, efforts should be made to reduce cannabis use and recommend other potentially safer routes, such as edibles and sublingual tinctures.”