Cannabis Exposure During Pregnancy Hype or Fact?
UK Article Claims Research Study Found “Psychotic-like” Behaviours – LPC
The UK newspaper The Independent is reporting that researchers in the US reportedly found a link between cannabis exposure during pregnancy and “psychotic-like” behaviours. A closer read shows that the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study concluded that all children of mothers “exposed” to cannabis experienced “abnormal” behaviours. These range from problems sleeping and weaker cognitive abilities to “psychotic-like experiences” or PLEs. The study looked at the sleep patterns of 11,489 children. Of those, 655 had mothers who experienced some form of cannabis exposure during pregnancy.
“Despite increasingly permissive social attitudes and the marked relaxation of legal restrictions on cannabis use, prenatal cannabis exposure and the correlated risks that it indexes may place offspring at increased risk for psychopathology in middle childhood,” the report stated.
However, the article seems to focus too closely on the word “psychotic” here. (Please see link to full article below.) Deeper research finds that PLEs or mild forms of delusions are quite common in the normal population, and relatively harmless. That’s a much different definition than what the article is suggesting.
It’s not surprising to hear that cannabis is not recommended during pregnancy. Generally speaking, anything the mother consumes including food, alcohol, tobacco, and the air they breathe will directly affect a child during pregnancy. Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned against cannabis during pregnancy. On the other hand, a recent review found that US cannabis research primarily looks at the negative effects. That makes it hard to find the truth.
Cannabis Exposure During Pregnancy and Stigma
This is not to say that cannabis exposure during pregnancy is good for the mother or baby. More research is certainly needed (though except for perhaps some specific medical reasons, few would argue that consuming cannabis or any other drug during pregnancy is absolutely a good choice). But the exaggerated conclusions made here are another reminder of the stigma against cannabis – including by some media and researchers. It’s no wonder doctors in the UK and elsewhere are hesitant to prescribe medical cannabis.
This editorial content from the LPC News Team provides analysis, insight, and perspective on current news articles. To read the source article this commentary is based upon, please click on the link below. Are you part of the legal cannabis industry in Canada? Add Your Listing and get found by a qualified audience.