For immediate release
Study finds combined use of cigarettes and marijuana
may increase children’s exposure to second-hand smoke
Cannabis use increased among parents who smoke cigarettes, as well as among non-smoking parents, according to a recent study from researchers at ISPH. Cannabis use was nearly four times more common among cigarette smokers compared with non-smokers. Until now, little had been known about current trends in the use of cannabis among parents with children in the home, the prevalence of exposure to both tobacco and cannabis, and which populations might be at greatest risk. The findings are published online in the June issue of Pediatrics.
Analyzing data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2002 to 2015, the researchers found past-month cannabis use among parents with children at home increased from 5 percent in 2002 to 7 percent in 2015, whereas cigarette smoking declined from 28 percent to 20 percent. Cannabis use increased from 11 percent in 2002 to over 17 percent in 2015 among cigarette-smoking parents and from slightly over 2 percent to 4 percent among non-cigarette-smoking parents. Cannabis use was nearly 4 times more common among cigarette smokers versus nonsmokers (17 percent vs 4 percent), as was daily cannabis use (5 percent vs 1 percent). The overall percentage of parents who used cigarettes and/or cannabis decreased from 30 percent in 2002 to 24 percent in 2015.
Cannabis use was also more prevalent among men who also smoked compared to women (10 percent vs 6 percent) and among younger people with children in the home (11 percent) compared with those 50 and older (4 percent). The relationship between current cannabis use and smoking was significant but similar for all income levels.
Citation: Goodwin RD, Cheslack-Postava K, Santoscoy S, Bakoyiannis N, Hasin DS, Collins BN, Lepore SJ, Wall MM. Trends in Cannabis and Cigarette Use Among Parents With Children at Home: 2002 to 2015. Pediatrics May 2018, e20173506; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2017-3506. Link to Article>>
For more information, contact:
Renee Goodwin, PhD, MPH
Professor of Epidemiology, CUNY School of Public Health
Deputy Director, CUNY Institute for Implementation Science
[email protected]
