As more and more women consume marijuana during pregnancy, a new study adds to a growing body of evidence that such behavior can be detrimental to child development. A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry finds that pot use during pregnancy is linked to psychotic-like behaviors, anxiety, depression and more attention, social and sleep problems, as well as weaker cognitive abilities.
The comprehensive study, with nearly 12,000 participants, was the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. And it comes as cannabis use among pregnant women ages 12 to 44 more than doubled between 2002 and 20017. THC—the psychoactive component of marijuana—enters the fetal brain through the mother’s bloodstream, and once there can impact the baby’s brain development.
Prior studies have shown that consuming marijuana during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight, impulsivity and other behavioral issues in children, according to the CDC. With more states considering legalizing marijuana, we need strong regulations and safeguards—as well as education programs—to curb pot use while pregnant.
And finally, the FDA is upgrading warning labels for a class of psychoactive drugs known as benzodiazepines—often prescribed for anxiety, insomnia and panic disorders—saying they are widely misused and can be addictive and cause withdrawal reactions. The drugs are often prescribed for long periods of time and are often misused with other substances such as alcohol or prescription opiods. In 2019, an estimated 92 million benzodiazepine prescriptions were dispensed in the U.S., with more than half of patients taking them for two months or longer.