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Work-Related Asthma in the Cannabis Industry: Findings From California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Washington
Michelle Pacheco1, Kathleen Fitzsimmons, Carolyn Reeb-Whitaker
1From the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Surveillance Program, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P., K.F., S.Y., E.S.-F.); Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program, Olympia, Washington (C.R.-W., D.T.); Department of Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (K.R., M.J.R.); California Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Branch, Richmond, California (J.F., R.H.); Public Health Institute, Contractors to the California Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Branch, Richmond, California (J.L.W.); Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (C.S.); and Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia (K.E.D.).
Objective:
Describe work-related asthma (WRA) cases and associated exposures in the legalized cannabis industry.
Methods:
Using data from four state-based surveillance systems (California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Washington), WRA cases within the cannabis industry were identified and classified as new-onset asthma or work-aggravated asthma.
Results:
From legalization dates (1996 in California, 2012 in Massachusetts, 2008 in Michigan, 1998 in Washington) through 2023, 30 WRA cases were identified. A majority were aged 18 to 34 years (66.7%) and were male (60%). Thirteen (52%) cases were new-onset asthma, and 12 (48%) were work-aggravated asthma, with two fatalities. The most frequently reported exposure was plant materials (40.4%), of which 94.7% were cannabis dust and/or marijuana plant. Most cases (69%) worked in indoor cultivation/processing.
Conclusions:
Cannabis industry workers are at risk for WRA, emphasizing the need for interventions to address workplace respiratory hazards.
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