Topline
Emphysema and airway inflammation are more common among marijuana smokers than cigarette smokers, according to a study of a small group of patients published by the Radiological Society of North America, as marijuana use among young adults continues to grow.
A study connects marijuana smokers with increased cases of emphysema.
Key Facts
Examination of chest CT scans among 56 marijuana smokers, 57 non-smokers and 33 tobacco-only smokers between 2005 and 2020 indicated higher rates of emphysema in marijuana smokers.
Of the smokers tested, 75% of the marijuana smokers had emphysema, compared with 67% of tobacco-only smokers and 5% of the non-smokers.
In addition to emphysema, airway inflammation was also more common among marijuana smokers.
Giselle Revah, a cardiothoracic radiologist and professor at the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Canada, said she decided to test a small sample size because “we know very little about” the effects of marijuana smoking on the body, according to a release.
Revah notes the differences between smoking marijuana and smoking tobacco, like marijuana being smoked without a filter and how it is generally inhaled with a longer breath hold than tobacco, as possible causes for more cases of emphysema.
A survey published by the National Institutes of Health indicates 43% of young adults aged 19 to 30 have used marijuana within the last year.
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