MY TURN: The case for protecting Idaho’s babies: What the science says about cannabis and pregnancy
When I was a student at Eastern Washington University, I read a series of articles ringing early warning bells regarding significantly rising rates of birth defects reported in Colorado immediately following the legalization of recreational marijuana. The idea that legal cannabis could inadvertently put developing babies at risk was the subject of my Anthropology Senior Thesis. Today’s historical trends and research reinforce that concern, supported by data from large, well-designed studies.
An NIH-funded study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that pregnant individuals with cannabis exposure (confirmed by urine drug tests) had a much higher rate of adverse outcomes compared with those not exposed, 25.9% vs 17.4%. It includes small-for-gestational-age birth, preterm delivery and hypertensive disorders.
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