title: Medical marijuana laws and pregnancy: implications for public health policy.
abstract: Although there is much to learn yet about the effects of prenatal marijuana use on pregnancy and child outcome, there is enough evidence to suggest that marijuana, contrary to popular perception, is not a harmless drug, especially when used during pregnancy. Consequently, the public health system has a responsibility to educate physicians and the public about the impact of marijuana on pregnancy and to discourage the use of medical marijuana by pregnant women or women considering pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pediatrics, University of Illinois College of Medicine, and NTI Upstream, Chicago, IL. Electronic address: irachasnoff@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ira J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Chasnoff
mesh_terms: D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D064086:Medical Marijuana; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011634:Public Health
chemical_list: D064086:Medical Marijuana
keywords: marijuana; medical marijuana; pregnancy