Abstract
In a general allergy consultation practice in Arizona and western New Mexico, 129 patients were tested for immediate hypersensitivity skin test reactivity to marijuana pollen and tobacco leaf, as well as to a battery of other antigens. In all, 90 patients were diagnosed as allergic (atopic) and, of these, 63 (70 percent) were found to be skin test reactive to marijuana pollen and 18 (20 percent) to tobacco leaf. The incidence of skin test reactivity to marijuana was not significantly different for persons living at low, middle or high elevations throughout the Southwest. Marijuana sensitivity occurred in patients who were, in general, also sensitive to a variety of other airborne plant pollens. There was no close correlation, however, between sensitivity to marijuana pollen and sensitivity to pollens from elm, mulberry, hop and stinging nettle, which are botanically related to marijuana. The data suggest that marijuana pollen may be a relatively common airborne pollen pollutant in the Southwest, allergic persons being sensitized through inhalation. If this is confirmed by further studies, then clinical investigation of marijuana hyposensitization (immunotherapy) may be warranted. This is in contrast to tobacco allergy for which simple avoidance is recommended.
Full text
PDF


Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Gleich G. J., Welsh P. W., Yunginger J. W., Hyatt R. E., Catlett J. B. Allergy to tobacco: an occupational hazard. N Engl J Med. 1980 Mar 13;302(11):617–619. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198003133021107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lach E., Schachter E. N. Marihuana and exercise testing. N Engl J Med. 1979 Aug 23;301(8):438–438. doi: 10.1056/nejm197908233010822. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Liskow B., Liss J. L., Parker C. W. Allergy to marihuana. Ann Intern Med. 1971 Oct;75(4):571–573. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-75-4-571. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rachelefsky G. S., Opelz G., Mickey M. R., Lessin P., Kiuchi M., Silverstein M. J., Stiehm E. R. Intact humoral and cell-mediated immunity in chronic marijuana smoking. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1976 Oct;58(4):483–490. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(76)90192-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Taylor G. Tobacco smoke allergy-does it exist? Scand J Respir Dis Suppl. 1974;91:50–55. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Zussman B. M. Tobacco sensitivity in the allergic patient. Ann Allergy. 1970 Aug;28(8):371–377. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Zussman B. M. Tobacco sensitivity in the allergic population. A specific allergic entity. J Asthma Res. 1974 Jun;11(4):159–167. doi: 10.3109/02770907409100294. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]