Renters Report More Cannabis Odors than Tobacco Odors
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]M[/dropcap]ore renters in apartments and condominiums reported smelling cannabis smoke than tobacco smoke, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health by the researchers at the University of Toronto on Sept. 10. The study is called “Prevalence of Involuntary Environmental Cannabis and Tobacco Smoke Exposure in Multi-Unit Housing,” and monitors how often renter report unwanted exposure to secondhand smoke.
The study was based on data from a telephone survey conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in 2017. Adults living in Ontario, Canada were contacted and asked about secondhand smoke incidents that took place at rental properties.
According to the findings, 827,000 people in multi-unit dwellings said they were exposed to cannabis smoke from hallways, other rental units or elsewhere in their buildings, versus about 728,000 who reported that they smelled tobacco smoke.
Michael Chaiton is an associate professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and co-author of the study. “I was surprised [that] there were more reports of cannabis than tobacco,” Chaiton told Medical Xpress. “We’ve known anecdotally there had been increasing calls and complaints about cannabis smoke, but we hadn’t been able to quantify it until now.”
Concerns about secondhand smoke have shifted from tobacco to cannabis in recent years, as consumption becomes more socially acceptable in Canada and the United States. Chaiton believes that cannabis smokers themselves are better at detected the telltale pungent scent of cannabis better than nonsmokers. But on the other hand, cannabis smokers may also be less likely to report the smell for other reasons.
“If there are more people smoking cannabis or smoking more freely, indoor use in buildings may increase,” Chaiton added. “But, on the other hand, people may be more willing to go outside, lessening second-hand exposure indoors. As well, people may be less likely to report it to surveyors because it’s legal—or they may be more likely to complain if they have less fear of repercussions.”
