Marijuana and Tobacco Smoke Exposure Tied to Elevated ER Visit Risk

Children from homes in which an adult smokes either tobacco or marijuana are 24% more likely to have visited an emergency room in the previous year and twice as likely to have been diagnosed with an ear infection. The researchers say the findings should not be a surprise, as second-hand smoke has been linked to health problems in children, including upper respiratory infections, ear infections, and asthma. Lead researcher Dr. Adam Johnson writes, “I think it’s going to get more and more prevalent as more states across the country start legalizing [marijuana], because it’s a big business, and there’s a lot of push to legalize recreational marijuana use.” Pediatric Academic Society, May 2018