Cannabis use among pregnant women has significantly increased in the last 20 years in the US. This comes despite studies demonstrating adverse effects from prenatal cannabis exposure, including low birth weight, premature birth, and neurodevelopmental effects that may extend into young adulthood.
In the current study, researchers examined the association between state-level medical marijuana legalization and cannabis use during pregnancy in the US. To do so, they analyzed data from 4,338 pregnant mothers who were included in the 2015- 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Ultimately, the researchers found that around 5.7% of pregnant women reported using cannabis in the last month, and 59% lived in a state where medical marijuana was legalized across 2015- 2021. Whereas 6.5% of women living in states with cannabis legalization reported using cannabis, 4.6% of pregnant women reported using the substance in states without legalization.
The researchers further found that 70.9% of women who used cannabis in the last 30 days perceived little to no risk linked to using the substance while pregnant. The same was true for just 20.2% of women who did not use cannabis in the last 30 days.
“When medical marijuana is available, when it is legal, it is available in the pharmacy. It is widely available. So we need to be extra cautious in those states and make solid policy that helps make pregnant women aware of the detrimental effects or marijuana use,” said lead author of the study, Mohammad Rifat Haider, Assistant Professor at the College of Public Health at the University of Georgia, in a press release.
“Long story short, this is a very vulnerable population, and evidence shows that during pregnancy, marijuana use is detrimental for both mother and child. There needs to be policy direction from the state to have these discussions,” he added.
Sources: EurekAlert, The American Journal on Addictions