Category Archives: Pregnancy/Breastfeeding

Cannabis during pregnancy may cause mental health issues in children

Mental health is the buzzword of today. Children whose mothers used cannabis during pregnancy may develop attention and behavioral problems around ages 11 and 12. The findings come from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, also called the ABCD Study.  Scientists at Washington University analyzed data and published their findings in JAMA Pediatrics last month.

Considering that prenatal cannabis use increased from 3 % to 7 % between 2002 and 2017, the warnings against pot use for pregnant women need to get stronger.  (The first two states voted to legalize pot in 2012, and now that number stands at 19 states.)  While mental health problems in youth are growing, it’s shocking that states follow policies that increase mental health risks. Continue reading Cannabis during pregnancy may cause mental health issues in children

Marijuana use by parents may increase chances of having autistic children

True or false — are people who use a lot of marijuana more likely to have children with autism?  Recent scientific studies suggest that the link between parent pot use and autistic children is much more than urban legend!

As more states legalize, more Americans support the legalization of marijuana, rushing to be at the forefront of social change.  Autism is also a hot topic, because rates of autism in the United States spiked in recent years.  We caution politicians and voters not to leap into legalization without a thorough study of the issue.  Do not disregard studies that link parental pot use to autism.

The science suggests that mothers who use marijuana while pregnant and fathers who are heavy users before their partners’ pregnancy put their future kids at risk. They’re more likely to have children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Continue reading Marijuana use by parents may increase chances of having autistic children

Surgeon General, HHS Secretary issue blunt warnings About Marijuana

Parents from every part of the country tell us that their teens claim “marijuana is safer than alcohol.”  That’s because many teens take messages from social media and fake news.

The Surgeon General and Secretary of Health and Human Services issued a blunt warning today, clarifying why cannabis is not safe.  Together with the heads of SAMHSA and NIDA, Dr. Jerome Adams and HHS Secretary Alex Azar spoke at a Press Conference today, detailing the risks of pot.

Continue reading Surgeon General, HHS Secretary issue blunt warnings About Marijuana

Pregnant and Parenting Moms in Washington Harmed by Legal Pot

A new peer-reviewed study about to be published in the January 2018 issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that marijuana use at exit from a 3-year case management intervention program for pregnant and parenting women increased significantly after marijuana legalization in Washington state.
“This study adds to the data we have about legalization driving up use and negatively impacting society,” said SAM President Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D. “States should slow down and realize that their actions have real consequences, especially among populations highlighted in this study — parents and children.”
The researchers divided the study sample into two cohorts based on whether participants had completed the program before or after legalization.
Researchers reported the following results:
“Most study participants reported complete abstinence from alcohol and nonprescription drugs at program exit. Among those who were still using substances, women who completed the intervention after marijuana legalization were significantly more likely to report marijuana use at program exit compared with women who completed the intervention before marijuana legalization. Across both cohorts (pre- and post-legalization), we found a positive association of exit marijuana use with alcohol, illegal methadone, other opioids, amphetamines, and cocaine use; even when we controlled for historical period, the association with some of these substances with marijuana use remained evident. Independent of marijuana use, we saw increased use during the post-legalization period of alcohol, illicit methadone, and other opioids.”
The study concluded that “Women who were not abstinent from marijuana at program exit were likely to report use of other substances as well. Our study design demonstrates an association but does not allow us to conclude that marijuana use leads to other substance use among this sample of women with a history of polysubstance use.”
www.learnaboutsam.org
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About SAM

 

Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is a nonpartisan, non-profit alliance of physicians, policy makers, prevention workers, treatment and recovery professionals, scientists, and other concerned citizens opposed to marijuana legalization who want health and scientific evidence to guide marijuana policies. SAM has affiliates in more than 30 states.

Tracking the Effects on Children

Since legalization began  on December 5, 2012, Parents Opposed to Pot has been tracking marijuana – related child abuse deaths.    We have found 102 such deaths; we believe the problem is significant and should be studied. https://poppot.org/2015/09/14/the-role-of-marijuana-horrific-cases-of-child-justice-failure-part-1/ Continue reading Pregnant and Parenting Moms in Washington Harmed by Legal Pot