Date of Defense
4-21-2026
Date of Graduation
5-2026
Department
Physician Assistant
First Advisor
Luke Kinsey
Second Advisor
Cindy Linn
Abstract
Cannabis is the most used illicit drug among young adults and many of these users perceive cannabis as harmless and do not believe the drug to be addictive. Cannabis is derived from the flower of the hemp plant and contains cannabinoids THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). THC is the psychoactive component that interacts with the endocannabinoid system to produce a coveted euphoric state among users. Cannabis can be consumed in an edible or combusted and inhaled via joint, pipe, bong, etc. The purpose of this review is to examine the effects of inhaled cannabis on pulmonary function with a specific focus on pulmonary function tests, respiratory symptoms, and respiratory diseases associated with cannabis use among young adults. Both spirometry and plethysmography are detailed and defined as they are the most common tools for measuring pulmonary function. This review also touches on the co-use of tobacco and cannabis, with the reverse gateway hypothesis, making cannabis a gateway drug for tobacco. Results of pulmonary tests showed inhaled cannabis does negatively effect lung function. Respiratory symptoms of wheezing, early morning sputum production, hyperinflation of the lungs, cough, and chest tightness were associated with inhaled cannabis as well as chronic bronchitis, COPD, and asthma. From the literature reviewed, many limitations and inconsistencies in data were found. Lack of research pertaining to the young adult population and dated research was consistently found. Most of the research was conducted on older adults, and the research reviewed was published before 2010. Contradictory pulmonary test results were also present and require more testing to properly determine how inhaled cannabis effects lung function. A causation for how inhaled cannabis alters pulmonary function is yet to be discerned, and more research is required. For future research, it is recommended that college students be used as research participants. They meet the right age demographic with most being between the ages of 18-25 years old, and most college students are over the age of 18 and would not require parental consent to participate.
Recommended Citation
Petersen, Ava, "The Impact of Cannabis Use on Pulmonary Function Among Young Adults: A Literature Review" (2026). Honors Theses. 4046.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/4046
Access Setting
Honors Thesis-Open Access
Presentation