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The Effect Of Cannabis On Pregnant Women And Their Newborns (Study)

The topic of pregnant women smoking marijuana is often considered taboo and rarely discussed openly. However, in Jamaica, it is more accepted for expectant mothers to use cannabis to alleviate nausea, stress, and depression, often in the form of tea or tonic.

In the late 1960s, Melanie Dreher, a graduate student, was selected by her professors to conduct an ethnographic study on marijuana use among pregnant women in Jamaica. Her objective was to observe and document the usage and effects of cannabis in this context. Dreher's research involved studying 24 Jamaican infants who had been exposed to marijuana prenatally and comparing them to 20 infants who had not been exposed. Her findings were published in her book, "Women and Cannabis: Medicine, Science, and Sociology," which included her field studies.

While many studies conducted in North America have suggested that marijuana use during pregnancy can lead to birth defects and developmental issues, these studies did not specifically isolate the effects of marijuana but instead grouped it together with more harmful substances like alcohol, tobacco, meth, and heroin.

In Jamaica, Dreher discovered a culture that had its own self-regulation of marijuana consumption, viewing it as a spiritual practice. To assess the impact of the herb when used during pregnancy, she used the Brazelton Scale, a widely recognized neonatal behavioral assessment tool that evaluates infant behavior.

The scale identifies the baby's strengths, adaptive responses, and potential vulnerabilities. The researchers continued to evaluate the children from the study until they reached the age of 5. The results indicated no negative impact on the children; in fact, they seemed to be thriving.

However, Dreher's findings were not well-received by some, particularly her funders at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). They decided not to continue funding the study and did not readily release its results.

Although the March of Dimes organization provided support, Dreher was informed not to resubmit her study to NIDA. This meant missing the opportunity to follow the study participants through adolescence and adulthood.

Dreher, who now serves as the dean of nursing at Rush University and holds degrees in nursing, anthropology, and philosophy, along with a Ph.D. in anthropology from Columbia University, had no previous experience with marijuana before her research in Jamaica. She now advocates for its use and believes that Raphael Mechoulam, the scientist who first isolated THC, deserves recognition for his work.

However, Dreher understands that medical professionals are hesitant to do anything that might jeopardize their professional standing, despite the proven medicinal effects of marijuana, particularly for pregnant women.

Dreher's study was not the first scientific investigation into ganja smoking in Jamaica. In 1975, Vera Rubin and Lambros Comitas conducted an exhaustive medical anthropological study titled "Ganja in Jamaica—A Medical Anthropological Study of Chronic Marijuana Use." Unfortunately for the National Institute of Mental Health's Center for Studies of Narcotic and Drug Abuse, this study concluded that despite its illegal status, ganja use in Jamaica was widespread and involved longer duration, higher frequency, and greater THC potency compared to use in the United States, yet it did not result in detrimental social or psychological consequences.

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