Marijuana Found in Breast Milk 6 Days after Use

[Guest Nicole]

More and more people consider smoking marijuana harmless or even beneficial, but mounting research suggests women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid it altogether.

That’s according to new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which cites growing evidence of marijuana’s potential harm to children’s long-term development.

The strong direction to women and pediatricians comes as more than half of states, including California, have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use, and studies show that a growing number of babies are being exposed to the drug.

The march toward marijuana legalization has outpaced scientific research about its effects. Because marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug—by definition, one with potential for abuse and no approved medical use—federal law has limited research on it. But in a detailed review of the existing safety data published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, researchers concluded that enough concerns exist about both short-term growth and long-term neurological consequences for children to recommend against it.

[Guest Nicole]

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/marijuana-found-in-breast-milk-6-days-after-use/