Adolescent health brief Tobacco and Other Drug Use among High School Students with Asthma

The 2003 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey data were analyzed to compare drug use among high school students with and without asthma. High school students with current asthma used cigarettes, cigars, marijuana, and inhalants (huffing) at rates equal to or greater than high school students without current asthma. © 2006 Society for Adolescent Medicine. All rights reserved. The use of cigarettes, cigars, marijuana, and inhalants (huffing) can exacerbate asthma. Studies examining rates of cigarette smoking among adolescents with and without asthma have found inconsistent results (1-3), and studies examining rates of other drug use are limited. This study examined the rates of cigarette, cigar, marijuana and inhal- ant (huffing) use among U.S. high school students with and without asthma.