A US study finding certain cannabis workers are at risk of work-related asthma (WRA) calls for preventative intervention from the industry.

A Centers for Disease Control study published last year found 13 million of the estimated 170 million US adults working in the previous year had asthma. Among those with asthma, an estimated 896,000 (6.9%) had WRA.

One of the many sectors where WRA poses a significant risk is the cannabis industry according to Kenneth Rosenman, co-author of a new study looking into the issue.

The research suggests workers picking, grinding and packaging cannabis are developing workplace-related asthma, and two have been documented to have died from related complications.

The study analyzed data from Michigan, California, Massachusetts and Washington, finding 30 cases of work-related asthma. Of those, 13 were employees who didn’t have asthma prior to working in the industry. The number of WRA cases are likely much higher, but workers can be hesitant to report such problems.

“There are a number of allergens and substances capable of causing allergic reactions,” Rosenman said. “The two big ones were the cannabis dust itself or the plant dust and the disinfectants they use.”

Most cases (69%) worked in indoor cultivation/processing. In the cases of the deaths, these occurred due to the victim’s health care provider not setting medical restrictions.

“They have to be willing to write that note that says, ‘This is a work-related condition and this person is eligible for workers’ compensation,” he said. ” Otherwise, you’re just out on the street with nothing.”

Rosenman said the industry should improve workplace conditions by taking actions including:

• Using disinfectants that don’t induce allergies.
• Ensuring there’s sufficient ventilation in the workplace
• Carrying out medical surveillance and screening workers for asthma.

“This is clearly a preventable disease,” Rosenman said. “Industry needs to be responsible and workers need to speak out and talk to their health care providers.”

The study has been published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

According to the CDC, there were about 428,000 people working in the legal cannabis industry across the USA in 2022. The CDC noted that among potential workplace hazards were exposure to:

• Bacteria, mold, and other fungi resulting from high humidity.
• Wet conditions and poor ventilation.
• Endotoxins.
• Organic particulate matter and dust from the plants.
• Sensitization to cannabis plant proteins, triggering allergic reactions.