Secondhand Pot Smoke Can Harm an Asthmatic Child

THURSDAY, Nov. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- A 6-year-old boy with severe asthma wasn't responding to the usual treatments. It was only when family members stopped smoking marijuana at home that his breathing got better, according to his doctor.

The boy's case shows that exposure to secondhand pot smoke can worsen asthma in children who have a marijuana allergy, a new study reports.

The child's relatives frequently smoked marijuana in the house, said Dr. Bryce Hoffman, lead author of the report.

"Even though family members didn't smoke marijuana in the same room as the child, he was exposed to traces of smoke and plant material," explained Hoffman, an allergy and immunology specialist in Denver.