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MSD · 09-24-2008, 05:05 AM

I asked for resources on a forum dedicated to drug use, and got the following responses:
all bolding is mine for emphasis.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Name Removed

NORML's Marijuana Health Mythology - NORML

It's probably not the best idea, but she isn't a total idiot. Possibly there are other studies out there that contradict this but THC isn't really toxic to anything. If she has to get off while she's pregnant marijuana is by far the safest choice.

Edit: Stress during pregnancy can cause birth defects, your friend should try to be more supportive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ""Name Removed

While the effect of THC on a fetus isn't as disastrous as that of alcohol, it's still a powerful drug and consequences should be expected. Cognitive characteristics such as intelligence (of any sort), short term memory capacity, spatial abilities, visual acuity, emotional reactivity, language abilities, motor skills, assimilation ability for new ideas, and hundreds more are all influenced by the environment a fetus grows in. Even if research didn't show an effect (and much of it does), there's a very good chance that there is some consequence of the child being exposed to THC even if it isn't immediately observable by a study. Our ability to tell if a child is affected is only as accurate as the test used to gauge a given parameter. If we can't accurately measure (or even define) intelligence, how can a study rule out an effect? Not to mention the thousands of cognitive properties that can't be or haven't been measured, or that are appear only under certain circumstances. Or maybe it affects the development of the immune system, or decreases the production of an enzyme that helps protect against Alzheimer's in the distant future. The point is that a fetus is much more vulnerable to environmental factors than the average adult whose brain has largely stopped developing, and a lack of toxicity in adults isn't evidence of safety for a fetus.

This is a freaking human being that is going to live 80 years with the consequences of the mother's behavior during pregnancy. Is being high during those nine months worth the risks, known or unknown?

Some evidence so I don't sound like a crackpot:

Quote:

Teratological investigations have demonstrated that agents that are relatively harmless to the mother may have significant negative consequences to the fetus. Among these agents, prenatal alcohol, nicotine or cannabis exposure have been related to adverse offspring outcomes. Although there is a relatively extensive body of literature that has focused upon birth and behavioral outcomes in newborns and infants after prenatal exposure to maternal smoking, drinking and, to a lesser extent, cannabis use, information on neurobehavioral and cognitive teratogenic findings beyond these early ages is still quite limited. Furthermore, most studies have focused on prenatal exposure to heavy levels of smoking, drinking or cannabis use. Few recent studies have paid attention to low or moderate levels of exposure to these substances. This review endeavors to provide an overview of such studies, and includes animal findings and potential mechanisms that may explain the mostly subtle effects found on neurobehavioral and cognitive outcomes. It is concluded that prenatal exposure to either maternal smoking, alcohol or cannabis use is related to some common neurobehavioral and cognitive outcomes, including symptoms of ADHD (inattention, impulsivity), increased externalizing behavior, decreased general cognitive functioning, and deficits in learning and memory tasks.

Full study
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