Marijuana Use Associations with Pulmonary Symptoms and Function in Tobacco Smokers Enrolled in the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS)

• Published in: Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases 2018-01, Vol.5 (1), p.46-56
• Main Authors: Morris, Madeline A, Jacobson, Sean R, Kinney, Gregory L, Tashkin, Donald P, Woodruff, Prescott G, Hoffman, Eric A, Kanner, Richard E, Cooper, Christopher B, Drummond, M Brad, Barr, R Graham, Oelsner, Elizabeth C, Make, Barry J, Han, MeiLan K, Hansel, Nadia N, O'Neal, Wanda K, Bowler, Russell P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original Research
• ISSN: 2372-952X; 2372-952X
• DOI: 10.15326/jcopdf.5.1.2017.0141

Marijuana is often smoked via a filterless cigarette and contains similar chemical makeup as smoked tobacco. There are few publications describing usage patterns and respiratory risks in older adults or in those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A cross-sectional analysis of current and former tobacco smokers from the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS) study assessed associations between marijuana use and pulmonary outcomes. Marijuana use was defined as never, former (use over 30 days ago), or current (use within 30 days). Respiratory health was assessed using quantitative high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans, pulmonary function tests and questionnaire responses about respiratory symptoms. Of the total 2304 participants, 1130 (49%) never, 982 (43%) former, and 192 (8%) current marijuana users were included. Neither current nor former marijuana use was associated with increased odds of wheeze (odds ratio [OR] 0.87, OR 0.97), cough (OR 1.22; OR 0.93) or chronic bronchitis (OR 0.87; OR 1.00) when compared to never users. Current and former marijuana users had lower quantitative emphysema ( =0.004, =0.03), higher percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV %) (