Despite decades of warnings and ‘stigma’ surrounding pregnant women and cannabis use, that hasn’t stopped expectant mothers from toking up.
Why, you may ask?
There are many reasons why pregnant women can benefit from smoking pot. Aside from reasons that affect everyone: anxiety, stress, pain relief, and insomnia, to name a few, pregnant women also experience conditions that cannabis has proven to help treat. These include pregnancy-induced vomiting and nausea (morning sickness).
Of course, there are traditional medications that can help. But the reason why many women still reach for marijuana instead of pharmaceutical drugs is that weed doesn’t have the same side effects that chemicals do; it’s a plant that many women prefer simply because it’s natural and feels gentler. Marijuana is also more effective at making us feel calm, which, let’s be honest: many of us just need it during pregnancy.
But on the other side of the coin are the side effects of using weed while pregnant.
Study On Jamaica
Weed, commonly known as ganja in Jamaica, is an important part of Jamaican culture. It’s deeply embedded into the Rastafari movement as well as reggae music, all of which are significant cultural facets of the country which we know about.
Possession of small amounts of ganja was already decriminalized back in 2015, and it has been legalized for religious uses. Otherwise, it’s still considered illegal in the country, albeit with a lot of gray areas.
It’s also in Jamaica where there is no stigma for pregnant women to use ganja even during pregnancy or in motherhood. Melanie Dreher, an anthropology student and registered nurse, went to Jamaica in 1969 to study contextual uses of weed in the local culture, says a feature in the Scientific American. In her studies, she found that newborns exposed to marijuana in the womb were less irritable, had better reflexes, and were generally more stable. In addition, they were found to be more socially responsive and also autonomically stable compared to their counterparts.
What Doctors Say
That said, doctors will never encourage smoking cannabis, most especially to pregnant women. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), smoking or using cannabis in any shape or form during pregnancy, attempting to get pregnant, or while breastfeeding is extremely dangerous.
According to doctors, cannabis does cross the placenta, which means that the psychoactive cannabinoid THC can reach the fetus and still affect the child after birth. Additionally, they say that cannabis exposure creates risks for newborns and fetuses, or can have drastic impacts on children even later on in life, such as through issues like learning problems.
But the warnings against cannabis use in pregnancy are far from conclusive. In fact, much of the studies that claim cannabis is harmful are often biased and don’t account for many other factors that can cause these too, such as the mother’s tobacco use, lack of access to proper prenatal care, and poor nutrition among others. So when you do count for these factors, the results are usually much less alarming.
Besides, cannabis is still a Schedule 1 substance in the United States; this alone makes it tricky for doctors to prescribe it, even if deep down inside, they believe it may help.
Shifting Culture
As cannabis legalization continues to grow in North America and the west, we can expect to see more balanced research that explains mindful and moderate marijuana use is not harmful to babies and mothers. We can actually see that there is untapped therapeutic potential that isn’t being talked about enough, because the studies are too busy with fear-mongering mothers.
The conversations women are having today are also seeing a shift.
Whether doctors like it or not, more women are rejecting fear-based stories and instead embracing cannabis as part of a holistic approach to physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. There are so many forums, groups, advocacies, and non-profit organizations comprised of mothers, seeking to share honest conversations about using cannabis without fear of stigma or judgment. The truth is that mothers are enjoying significant relief; it helps them eat better, enjoy more focus and calm, and sleep better during one of the toughest transitions that the human body goes through.
It’s also worth noting that the cultural shift is happening in a broader fashion: thanks to cannabis legalization and better education, women tend to feel more empowered, making informed decisions on their bodies. Despite the media portraying cannabis as dangerous for pregnancy, women know that the data out there is usually alarmist or even outdated. They know that recent studies are pointing towards safe cannabis use among expectant mothers.
Conclusion
Ultimately, cannabis use among pregnant women seems like it’s here to stay.
It’s a sign of something deeper: it reflects a progression towards autonomy, where women feel more confident making decisions for their bodies and babies despite what doctors are saying. They also know that when it comes to medical advice, a one-size-fits-all approach simply does not exist.
Pregnant women who use pot are by no means reckless: they are making important, conscious, and informed decisions that affect their well-being and comfort during a challenging time in their lives.
Anxiety, morning sickness, and difficulty sleeping are extremely tough conditions to deal with when you’re growing a baby. When nothing else seems to work except for cannabis, we can’t blame moms for going along with it. After all, they do need the sleep and appetite to support their growing baby, too.
MORNING SICKNESS AND WEED, READ ON...
