Perception of harm is strongly associated with complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Perception of health risk can influence household rules, but little is known about how the perception of harm from cannabis secondhand smoke (cSHS) is related to having a complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking. We examined this association among a nationally representative sample of United States adults. METHODS: Respondents were 21,381 adults from the cross-sectional Marijuana Use and Environmental Survey recruited from December 2019-February 2020. Perceived harm of cSHS exposure (extremely harmful, somewhat harmful, mostly safe, or totally safe) and complete ban of cannabis smoking anywhere in the home (yes or no) were self-reported. Logistic regression for survey-weighted data estimated covariate-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between perceived harm of cSHS and complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking. Stratified subgroup analyses (by cannabis smoking status, cannabis use legalization in state of residence, and children under age 6 living in the home) were conducted to quantify effect measure modification of the association between perception of harm and complete ban. RESULTS: A complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking was reported by 71.8% of respondents. Eight percent reported cSHS as "totally safe"; 20.5% "mostly safe"; 38.3% "somewhat harmful"; and 33.0% "extremely harmful". Those who reported cSHS as "extremely harmful" had 6 times the odds of a complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking (OR = 6.0, 95%CI = 4.9-7.2) as those reporting smoking as "totally safe". The odds of a complete ban were higher among those reporting cSHS as "somewhat harmful" (OR = 2.6, 95%CI = 2.2-3.1) or "mostly safe" (OR = 1.4, 95%CI = 1.2-1.7) vs those reporting cSHS as "totally safe". In each subgroup of cannabis smoking status, state cannabis use legalization, and children under the age of 6 living in the home, perceived harm was associated with a complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates perceiving cSHS as harmful is strongly associated with having a complete in-home cannabis smoking ban. With almost a third of US adults perceiving cSHS as at least "mostly safe", there is strong need to educate the general population about potential risks associated with cSHS exposure to raise awareness and encourage adoption of household rules prohibiting indoor cannabis smoking.

The association between local area immigrant fraction and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the United States: an observational study.

Background: Local area immigrant fraction is strongly and positively correlated with local life expectancy in the United States. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between local area immigrant fraction and local prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. Methods: Cross-sectional study design, with ZIP code as the unit of observation. Demographic data was obtained from the American Community Survey, and linked to indicators of health access (e.g., insurance, annual check-ups, cholesterol screening), obesity, behavior (smoking, exercise), and cardiovascular outcomes data from the 2020 Population Level Analysis and Community Estimates. Multivariable regression and path analyses were used to assess both direct and indirect relationships among variables. Findings: CHD prevalence was lower in the second (3.9% relative difference, 95% CI: 3.1-4.5%), third (6.5%, 95% CI: 5.8-7.1%), and fourth (14.8%, 95% CI: 14.1-15.8%) quartiles of immigrant fraction compared to the lowest (p-trend <0.001). These effects remained robust in multivariable analysis following adjustment for indicators of access, obesity, and behavioral variables (p-trend <0.0001). For stroke, only the highest quartile demonstrated a significant difference in prevalence (2.1%, 95% CI: 1.2-3.0% with full adjustment). In CHD path analysis, ∼45% of the association of immigrant fraction was direct, and ∼55% was mediated through lower prevalence of deleterious behaviors (e.g., smoking). In stroke path analysis, the effect was entirely mediated through indirect effects. Interpretation: In the United States, ZIP codes with higher immigrant fractions have lower prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. These associations are partially mediated through differences in health behaviors at the community level. Funding: NIH (K08CA252635, P30AG0059304, K24HL150476), Stanford University, Rutgers University.

Location and home rules of cannabis use - Findings from marijuana use and environmental survey 2020, a nationally representative survey in the United States.

Cannabis combustion and aerosolization may be associated with adverse health for users and nonusers through secondhand and thirdhand exposure. As cannabis regulation becomes more lenient, understanding where cannabis is used and whether homes have rules restricting use is needed. This study aimed to identify locations, presence of other people, and in-home rules of cannabis use in the United States (U.S.). This secondary analysis of 3,464 inhalation-based (smoking, vaping, dabbing) cannabis users in past 12 months drew from a cross-sectional probability-based online panel of 21,903 U.S. adults in early 2020, providing nationally representative estimates. We describe presence of other people and location at most recent use (smoking, vaping, dabbing, respectively). We also describe household restrictions on in-home cannabis smoking by cannabis smokers vs non-smokers, and by presence of children in home. Cannabis smoking, vaping, and dabbing most often occurred at users' own homes (65.7%, 56.8%, and 46.9%, respectively). More than 60% of smoking, vaping, and dabbing occurred with someone else present. About 68% of inhalation-based cannabis users (70% and 55%, smokers and non-smokers, respectively) did not have complete restrictions on in-home cannabis smoking; among them, over a quarter lived with children under 18. In the U.S., inhalation-based cannabis use most commonly occurs at home, with others present and a substantial proportion of users lacking complete in-home cannabis smoking restrictions, raising risks of secondhand and thirdhand smoke exposure. These circumstances demand residential interventions for developing bans on indoor cannabis smoking, especially around vulnerable children.

In-Home Cannabis Smoking Among a Cannabis-Using Convenience Sample from the Global Drug Survey: With Weighted Estimates for U.S. Respondents.

Introduction: Secondhand and thirdhand tobacco smoke exposure most often occur at home, but little is known about occurrences of in-home cannabis smoking. We ascertained in-home cannabis smoking reported by all cannabis-using (i.e., used in the last 12 months) respondents to the Global Drug Survey (GDS; international-GDS sample), and among U.S. cannabis-using respondents (US-GDS sample). Materials and Methods: We used data collected November 2019-January 2020 for the 2020 GDS, an annual anonymous, cross-sectional survey; respondents were 16+ years old, from 191 countries. We estimated any and daily in-home cannabis smoking in the last 30 days among international-GDS respondents (n=63,797), using mixed effects logistic regression. US-GDS respondents (n=6,580) were weighted to the covariate distribution of the nationally representative 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health cannabis-using sample, using inverse odds probability weighting, to make estimates more generalizable to the U.S. cannabis-using population. Results: For the international-GDS cannabis-using respondents, any in-home cannabis smoking was reported by 63.9% of men, 61.9% of women, and 68.6% of nonbinary people; and by age (<25 years old=62.7%, 25-34 years old=65.0%, and 35+ years old=62.8%). Daily in-home cannabis smoking was highest among nonbinary (28.7%) and respondents 35+ years of age (28.0%). For the weighted US-GDS cannabis-using respondents, any in-home cannabis smoking was reported by 49.8% of males and 61.2% of females; and by age (<25 years old=62.6%, 25-34 years old=41.8%, 35+ years old=57.9%). Weighted daily in-home smoking was 23.2% among males and 37.1% among females; by age (<25 years old=34.8%, 25-34 years old=27.8%, and 35+ years old=21.6%). Conclusions: There was high daily cannabis smoking in homes of international-GDS and US-GDS respondents who used cannabis in the last 12 months. In part, due to cannabis legalization, the number of users worldwide has increased over the past decade. Criminal stigma historically associated with cannabis continues to drive those users indoors. In this context, our findings support further investigation of cannabis use behavior to understand how often people are exposed to secondhand and thirdhand cannabis smoke and the consequences of that exposure.

Cancer Mortality in U.S.-Born versus Foreign-Born Asian American Groups (2008-2017).

BACKGROUND: Asian Americans (AA) are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States with high proportions of immigrants. Nativity is important as cancer risk factors vary by country. We sought to understand differences in cancer mortality among AAs by nativity (foreign-born vs. U.S.-born). METHODS: Ninety-eight thousand eight hundred and twenty-six AA (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese) decedents with cancer-related deaths from U.S. death certificates (2008-2017) were analyzed. Thirteen cancers that contribute significantly to Asian-American cancer mortality were selected and categorized by etiology: tobacco-related, screen-detected, diet-/obesity-related, and infection-related. Ten-year age-adjusted mortality rates [AAMR; 95% confidence interval (CI); per 100,00] and standardized mortality ratios (SMR; 95% CI) using foreign-born as the reference group were calculated. RESULTS: Overall, foreign-born AAs had higher mortality rates than U.S.-born. Japanese U.S.-born males had the highest tobacco-related mortality rates [foreign-born AAMR: 43.02 (38.72, 47.31); U.S.-born AAMR: 55.38 (53.05, 57.72)]. Screen-detected death rates were higher for foreign-born than U.S.-born, except for among Japanese males [SMR 1.28 (1.21-1.35)]. Diet-/obesity-related AAMRs were higher among females than males and highest among foreign-born females. Foreign-born males and females had higher infection-related AAMRs than U.S.-born; the highest rates were foreign-born males-Korean [AAMR 41.54 (39.54, 43.53)] and Vietnamese [AAMR 41.39 (39.68, 43.09)]. CONCLUSIONS: We observed substantial heterogeneity in mortality rates across AA groups and by nativity. Contrary to the Healthy Immigrant Effect, most foreign-born Asians were dying at higher rates than U.S.-born AAs. IMPACT: Disaggregated analysis of AA cancers, targeted and culturally tailored cancer screening, and treatments for infections among foreign-born Asians is critical for cancer prevention efforts.

In-home cannabis smoking more prevalent than in-home tobacco smoking among 2019 Global Drug Survey respondents.

PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH: Early evidence from studies of home smoking policies suggests that in-home cannabis smoking is more often allowed than in-home tobacco smoking, but there are not yet data on whether cannabis is more often smoked in the home compared to tobacco, or whether in-home cannabis and tobacco smoking differs by usage status. Using cross-sectional data from over 100,000 sentinel drug users from 17 countries, we compared cannabis and tobacco smoking in the homes of Global Drug Survey 2019 respondents who currently used cannabis only, tobacco only, both tobacco and cannabis, or neither. PRINCIPAL RESULTS: Complete data on cannabis and tobacco use and in-home smoking were available for 107,272 adults (average age = 30 ± 12, 34% women, countries with the three highest response rates; Germany = 32%, USA = 10%, New Zealand = 9%). In total, 53.6% and 50.6% of respondents reported past-year cannabis and tobacco smoking in their home respectively. Stratifying respondents into current cannabis-only users, tobacco-only users, dual users, and non-users, past-year in-home cannabis smoking was more prevalent (78.8%) among cannabis-only users than was in-home tobacco smoking (67.9%) among tobacco-only users. Among dual users, past-year in-home cannabis smoking (82.8%; 95%CI = 80%-86%) was higher than in-home tobacco smoking (75.9%; 95%CI = 69%-81%; p < 0.001). In-home cannabis and tobacco smoking was similar among non-users (20.2% and 20.5%, respectively). MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: Past-year in-home cannabis smoking was more prevalent than tobacco smoking in the homes of participants who used cannabis and/or tobacco, supporting our speculation that in-home cannabis smoking might be more socially acceptable than in-home tobacco smoking.

Alcohol use and its association with sexual risk behaviors in the Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown alcohol misuse amplifies the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections [STIs], including HIV, by increasing high risk sexual behaviors. Military populations are particularly vulnerable to both alcohol misuse and STIs due to the unique conditions of military service. This study estimated the prevalence of probable hazardous and harmful alcohol use and examined associations with transactional sex, sex with a sex worker, and multiple sexual partners among military personnel in the Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo (FAC). METHODS: A secondary analysis of data collected from a 2014 seroprevalence and behavioral epidemiology risk survey was performed. Participants included 703 active duty male service members 18 years of age or older who reported ever having sex. Patterns of harmful and hazardous drinking were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Participants with an AUDIT score ≥ 8 (indicative of probable hazardous and harmful alcohol use, and possible alcohol dependence) were compared to those with an AUDIT score ≤ 7. RESULTS: A total of 15.8% received a score of 8 or higher on the AUDIT. These participants were more likely to be lower educated and of lower military rank. In separate multivariable models, an AUDIT score ≥ 8 was significantly associated with higher odds of sex with a commercial sex worker and having multiple sexual partners. CONCLUSIONS: Study results emphasize the need to address patterns of harmful and hazardous alcohol use in the FAC and integrate alcohol misuse education into the HIV prevention program. The development of military-specific interventions to reduce alcohol-related risky sexual behaviors are also needed. Lastly, implementing policies such as restricting alcohol availability and sales on military bases, and adding warning labels to advertisements and containers may provide a more comprehensive response to reduce problematic alcohol use.