Tag Archives: pregnancy

Colorado, News Articles

New Report: Colorado Youth at Risk from Marijuana Exposure

 A new state-funded report out of Colorado found that the state continues to hold the top ranking when it comes to past month use of marijuana.  The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued a press release announcing the report.

Also, in Colorado, more young children are being exposed to highly potent pot products. Use of edibles and vaping/dabbing is way up among high school students, and emergency department visits have increased.  Continue reading New Report: Colorado Youth at Risk from Marijuana Exposure →

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Child Endangerment, Colorado

1000 Bibs Placed over Dispensaries in Denver

Doctors tell women not to smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol when pregnant, so why would anyone think it’s ok to smoke pot?   It turns out that 69% of marijuana dispensaries in Colorado were giving this bad advice.

Marijuana Accountability Coalition (MAC), in partnership with Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), launched the “Don’t Hurt Our Future” Campaign.  CBS TV in Denver featured their activity on the nightly news.  Watch the video of May 30, 2018 from the TV clip:

Coalition Places Baby Bibs On Marijuana Dispensary Doors

As recently reported, nearly 70% percent of marijuana dispensaries in Colorado were found to be recommending high-potency THC products to mothers. These dispensaries and some websites promote pot as a remedy for symptoms of morning sickness.

Volunteers from MAC and SAM began at the governor’s mansion and distributed 1,000 bibs on the doors of pot dispensaries in Colorado.

The problems with marijuana in pregnancy

According to the Centers for Disease Control, marijuana use during pregnancy could result in low birth weight and other developmental issues in the womb.   Parents Opposed to Pot tracks reports of babies who died in infancy because the moms smoked pot during pregnancy.  Pot smoking leads to low birth weights and more fragile babies.   Nine of 106 child abuse deaths we found over five years included low birth-weight babies who had THC in their system.

Pregnant women need to be educated, but not shamed.  Many of these women are victims of bad information and it’s not their fault.  Our website provides several resources for pregnant and breastfeeding women.   Let’s not exaggerate the possible dangers, but women need to know they risk certain heart defects, cancers in their babies.

We live in a time period in which some people trust ganjapreneurs, but don’t trust doctors.  Marijuana dispensaries do not require scientific or medical training to give out medical advice. They require that workers are 21 years or older, but nothing else.  Doctors, on the other hand, have years of intense education and professional organizations back up their claims.   Both groups are out to make money, but which group has the most quacks?

“The marijuana industry will stop at nothing to make a buck,” said Justin Luke Riley, founder of the MAC. “Going against all available science, the industry is now recommending pot for pregnant women. They must be held accountable for their actions and not simply be given a slap on the wrist. They are actively putting their profits ahead of the healthy development of future Coloradans.”

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Child Endangerment, Pregnancy/Breastfeeding

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. http://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 →

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Pregnancy/Breastfeeding

Marijuana and Breastfeeding

Pro-pot advocates tell us their cannabinoids in breast milk which is true, but that’s not a reason to smoke pot while pregnant. In fact, Arizona just passed a law requiring all medical marijuana dispensaries to warn pregnant and breastfeeding women against using marijuana. Pamela McColl wrote an article on pregnancy and marijuana.

A blog from October, 2012 that discusses the subject. The author lives in the region which produces the most marijuana in the US.  We’re reprinting this from the Mama Birth website, with permission:

Can you smoke marijuana while breastfeeding?  Well- of course you can.

Should you smoke marijuana while breastfeeding?  That is a very different question and one which is hotly debated.  I am familiar with the raging feelings concerning smoking marijuana while pregnant and this subject also brings out strong emotions.

For some people smoking marijuana ever is a no brainer- why would you do that?  It’s illegal anyway.  For others, smoking weed is a part of their lifestyle and is considered a medicinal herb rather than a drug.  No matter how you view marijuana and no matter it’s place in your lifestyle, it is worth carefully considering if it’s use should continue during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The research on this subject is not vast.  A true scientific study would require two large groups of breastfeeding mothers, half randomly assigned to smoking marijuana while breastfeeding, and half assigned to not smoke while breastfeeding.  Of course, as drugs.com states, this type of study is considered unethical:

“Data are from random breastmilk screening rather than controlled studies because of ethical considerations in administering marijuana to nursing mothers”

So, to research this subject we must look at smaller studies and glean what we can from them and make the best choice.  What does the limited research show?  The following quotes are taken from an article in the Journal of Toxicology, April 2009.  Please take the time to read the study and the resources it quotes if you are seriously interested in this subject.

Decreased motor development-

” The active substance of cannabis is the delta 9 TetraHydroCannabinol (THC). Some studies conclude that it could decrease motor development of the child at one year of age.”

THC is stored in the infant’s fat tissues for long periods of time-

“Its half-life is 1 to 2.3 days, and traces can persist for up to 4 to 6 weeks. It is rapidly distributed to the brain and adipose tissue. It is stored in fat tissues for long periods (weeks to months) [7].”

While studies are limited we do know some of the effects of some of the components of marijuana and it is known that marijuana can cause oral motor weakness which can cause problems with milk production.  A baby that doesn’t suck well will fail to cause the mother’s adequate milk production.-

“Indeed, during foetal life, the cannabinoid CB1 receptor acts on brain development, regulating neural progenitor differentiation into neurones and glia (as CB2 receptor) and guiding axonal migration and synaptogenesis. Postnatally, CB1 receptor blockade induces oral motor weakness, which reveals a critical role for CB1 receptors in the initiation of milk suckling by neonates [8]”

It is also known that marijuana may impact brain development-

“Cannabinoids are also involved in the expression of key genes for neural development [11].”

Smoking weed is known to cause poor feeding patterns in humans.

“Cannabis causes sedation, weakness, and poor feeding patterns in adult [7]”

THC is known to pass through breast milk-

“THC is excreted into human breast milk in moderate amounts [19]. In one feeding, the infant would ingest 0.8% of the weight-adjusted maternal intake of one joint [20]. The ratio milk-to-plasma rates 8 in heavy users [19].”

Animal studies again indicate that milk production can be negatively impacted by marijuana use and Dr Hale agrees.

” Indeed, studies in animals suggest that marijuana could inhibit lactation by inhibiting prolactin production and, possibly, by a direct action on the mammary glands [7]. Hale reports a positive evidence of risk on milk production. Nevertheless, there are no human data to corroborate these observations.”

Marijuana use by a breastfeeding mother is known to cause lethargy in the infant among other things.

“According to Hale, marijuana could produce sedation and growth delay in infant [7], and a study by Liston have demonstrated that infants exposed to marijuana via breast milk show signs of sedation, reduced muscular tonus, and poor sucking [21].”

While it is unethical to conduct studies on humans, we do known that the compounds present in marijuana can alter DNA and brain growth.

” Animal studies have demonstrated alteration of DNA and RNA synthesis, and proteins needed for proper growth and development impaired in brain cells of newborn animals [21].”

While we don’t know a lot about how smoking marijuana while breastfeeding impacts the baby, the fact that no long term studies have been done does not mean there are no long term effects.

A study has also indicated that marijuana use can raise the chance of SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome.

” But paternal marijuana use during the periods of conception, pregnancy, and postnatally was significantly associated with SIDS [26].”

In addition to the known passage of marijuana through breast milk and it’s known storage in fatty tissues, it is mentioned that the mind altering effects of smoking marijuana are not recommended for anybody who is a primary care provider for an infant.

“Marijuana should not be used by nursing mothers because it may impair their judgment and child care abilities. Marijuana should not be smoked by anyone in the vicinity of infants because the infants may be exposed by inhaling the smoke. Some evidence indicates that paternal marijuana use increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome in breastfed infants.”

So, in summary-

 The use of marijuana during breastfeeding is not recommended for many reasons.  It is known to pass through the breast milk.  It is known to be stored in fatty tissue for a long period of time.  It is known to impact DNA and RNA.  Babies whose mother’s smoked weed tended to be more lethargic and this could impact milk supply and the ability to actively suck and extract milk.  Smoking marijuana while breastfeeding is even thought to increase SIDS rates.

I live in an area where the use of marijuana is widespread, common, and legally accepted.  I realize that many people believe that this substance has healing properties and has only been criminalized by those who are out for money or otherwise inclined to oppress farmers and hippies.

I realize that research on this subject is spotty at best and has small sample sizes and insufficient data.  I strongly believe that just because something has not been proven dangerous does not mean it has been proven SAFE.

I strongly believe that it is our responsibility as a mothers and care providers to do what is best for our children.  I also believe that we can sacrifice some of our old habits and lifestyles for our children.  In fact I know that every good mother does this for her children.  There are simply some things in our lives that need to be changed in order to be the best mother we can be to our babies.

For some of this it is patterns in our life, work, relationships, even hobbies.  For most of us it means less sleep for a certain length of time, giving up our bodies briefly and some of our freedoms.  For some of us it even means sacrificing some lifestyle choices and even drug (or medicinal herbal) use.

I can guarantee  you that the sacrifices we make for our children will be well worth it and will not be regretted.  I know that what can seem like a long and hard sacrifice for our children will look so short in a few years when we look back.

Life changes when we have babies and it changes forever.  That is OK.  In fact, it is a beautiful part of motherhood.

Let go of some of the sleep.  Find different ways to deal with stress.  (Nature has designed breastfeeding perfectly so that the very act of nursing relaxes both mother and baby and produces love hormones.)

Enjoy some of the natural drugs that your own body creates during the amazing journey of breastfeeding and set aside some of the others that we have to ingest.  It will be such a short time in the long run and it will be so worth it- even to avoid a hypothetical risk.

For more information, consult this study.

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