Pregnant Women and Cannabis Use: Exploring the Impact of Legalization - Essay Sample

Introduction

Marijuana is a common illicit drug used by pregnant women. The cannabis use during the prenatal period could escalate further as a result of most states legalizing its use for medicinal as well as recreational purposes. For instance, Columba has responded to the endorsement of the public for potential benefits of the plant by legalizing its use in 33 states and districts for medical Marijuana and also ten states legalizing recreational use of Marijuana. In most studies, the frequency use of cannabis among pregnant women ranges at the rate of 2-5 percent.

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Why Women Use Marijuana During Pregnancy and The General Sense of Danger

Women mostly use Marijuana during pregnancy since the plant is perceived as being a medicinal drug. For instance, it is used for silencing morning sicknesses. Marijuana is mostly used because its approval has outperformed the effects of scientific understanding on human health. It is presumed by the pregnant women that there are no dangers associated with the use of Marijuana for developing infants. However, the studies suggest that the drug can harm the birth weight, brain development, and cognition.

Major Neurological and Behavioral Consequences for Those Exposed to THC Prenatally

THC exposure to teenagers in the womb makes them develop a declined capability to comprehend the concepts both in reading and listening. The children at age 10 are more impulsive and have little focus on their attention as compared to other children. Also, the use of Marijuana during pregnancy makes children at age 14 to have lower scores in reading, spelling, and math than their peers.

Specific Lifespan Implications of The Above Effects

Marijuana neuro transmitting receptors leading to abnormal functioning of the amygdala, the brain section responsible for emotional regulation. Therefore, teenage brains can be altered with regular marijuana use, eventually reducing the IQ of the children throughout their life.

Key Problems of Studying Marijuana Use in Pregnancy

Marijuana acceptance has surpassed its scientific consideration of the health effects on humans, posing a significant challenge in studying Marijuana utilization during the prenatal period. The users of cannabis presume that the drug has no consequences. The effects of the drug are not dramatic, thus leading to many states and federal agencies to avoid carrying out studies on its use among pregnant women. Also, the studies of marijuana use are often based on reports by pregnant women rather than the umbilical cord and urinal tests. These reports consistently underreport their use because discrepancies are revealed in the samples. It is also hard to tease out the risk of Marijuana among women who drink alcohol or smoke tobacco.

Factors of Potency and Fat Solubility

Factors of potency and fat solubility need to have a special concern since few studies realize that THC, which can linger in the body of mothers for weeks or months, is stored in fat. The exposure of a fetus is not known whether it is restricted to the time that a pregnant woman feels high.

Comparison of Effects of Marijuana Use in Pregnancy

Marijuana effects in NYT articles during pregnancy are linked to the harm in brain development of teenagers, prenatal births, and cognition. At the same time, chapter 3 effects in the text focus on the physical changes experienced by adults based on their ages in many factors. For instance, physical and cognitive development in early adulthood focuses on biological factors like cellular and molecular changes in the process of aging.

Conclusion

The legal recreational use of Marijuana will lead to increased rates in the USA. The drug will become the illicit substance mostly consumed by women during pregnancy. The legalization of this drug is a significant concern due to the genuine risk that might be reported to the protection of child services. The pregnant users of Marijuana will put their children at higher risk due to increased use.