The threat of fungal infection is historically deadly, especially when introduced directly into respiratory or nervous systems.

Studies have shown that tobacco and marijuana harvests may yield significant amounts of fungal spores and plant pathogens such as Aspergillus. Aspergillus is associated with serious diseases in humans and animals.

Acute invasive aspergillosis is a form that grows into body tissue and is most common in those with weakened immune systems such as chemotherapy or AIDS patients. It is also known as a cause for neonatal infections.

Invasive aspergillosis has been described in association with marijuana smoking in two cancer patients on chemotherapy, two leukemia patients, a renal transplant recipient, and a few patients with AIDS. There have been two reported cases of ABPA associated with moldy marijuana. Given the frequency of asthma and ABPA, and the high frequency of marijuana usage amongst young people, these cases may represent a tiny proportion of those affected.

For medical marijuana patients, direct exposure to vaporized cannabis products fuels complications and may accelerate, or even cause respiratory related ailments.

Once considered a weak pathogen, modern immunosuppressive therapies increase the likeliness of deadly infections amongst Aspergillus exposure.

A study conducted between 2008 – 2011 of patients with invasive aspergillus (IA) highlights a compelling mortality rate when a patient also sufferers from an underlying disease or immunodeficiency.

Of the 152 patients studied: