Nearly 70 percent of Colorado dispensaries recommended treating morning sickness with cannabis products — in direct opposition to guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), a new study found.
A report in the same academic journal that conducted the study warned back in 2013 that “expectant mothers who smoke marijuana may triple their risk for stillbirth.”
At that time, researchers raised the caution flag that any moves to decriminalize marijuana might make their findings even more relevant. As the new study demonstrates, they were spot on.
In the current study, the authors noted, “As cannabis legalization becomes more common, women should be cautioned that advice from dispensary employees might not necessarily be informed by medical evidence.”
In other words, listen to your doctors. The local marijuana salesperson is not the most trusted source of health information!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly advises against the risky practice of marijuana use during pregnancy, citing a number of health problems for mother and baby, both before and after birth.
The agency warns that chemicals such as THC in marijuana can cause developmental problems for the baby, low birth weight, and other issues — some of which may only make themselves known as the child ages.
The CDC also advises against the use of cannabis by lactating mothers, as THC is passed through breast milk. And since the chemical is stored in fat and released slowly over time, nursing moms can inadvertently expose their babies even after they’ve stopped using the substance.
The study, published online ahead of June’s print issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, was conducted using a mystery caller approach. The caller told dispensaries she was eight weeks pregnant — in her first trimester — and that she was experiencing morning sickness.
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Researchers phoned 400 randomly selected dispensaries in an official state listing. The study tapped a stratified sample of licensed dispensary types, including medical, retail, and combination types. The researchers included dispensaries in both urban and rural settings.
Shockingly, more than one in three of the dispensaries that the (fictional) pregnant mother contacted told the caller that cannabis was safe to use when pregnant. Though more than 81.5 percent suggested discussing the decision with a health care provider, only 31.8 percent did so without the caller’s specifically asking if she should.
“Expanding legalization may increase use among pregnant women and may be accompanied by increased perception of safety without data to assure safety,” the report stated.
Relying on marijuana retailers to provide thorough, accurate health-related information to pregnant, would-be customers could result in horrific outcomes.
The researchers also noted that pregnant women may fear legal repercussions if they seek marijuana-related information from their health care providers. Seeking that information from marijuana retailers may seem a safer option to them.
Related: Marijuana Use Spikes for ‘Safety-Sensitive’ Workers After Pot Legalization
Sadly, as the results of this study indicate, relying on marijuana retailers to provide thorough, accurate, and smart health information to pregnant, would-be customers could result in horrific outcomes.
Michele Blood is a Flemington, New Jersey-based freelance writer and a regular contributor to LifeZette.
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