Marijuana has a bad reputation when it comes to many areas of daily life. The evidence against it has ties to prohibition propaganda, which produced studies, articles, and other information about the negative affects of marijuana use.Most of the propaganda has been discovered to be either myths, lies or both, not fact. When it comes to pregnancy, many "experts" still don't see a problem with creating and spreading inaccurate information about marijuana and pregnancy.
Up until very recently, the idea that marijuana does not harm children born to weed smoking mothers has been brushed far under the rug. Doctors frequently warn expecting mothers that marijuana will cause their children to develop abnormally, both physically and mentally.
Thanks to the efforts and progress of open minded scientists and those willing to publish and fund them, we are starting to hear cases of those myths being busted. Even mothers who use marijuana are starting to speak out.
When BabyCenter.com, a popular websites for pregnant women, published an article stating the "risks" of marijuana use during pregnancy, they received a backlash in the form of well-worded comments from well-informed and experienced mothers. Many of the mothers expressed their own personal experiences.
It's no longer popular or righteous to be falsely against marijuana. Dr. Melanie Dreher has gained attention for her work studying marijuana use in pregnant mothers in Jamaica. Jamaica is an ideal place for this study, because they have a culture which has rules for responsible and open marijuana use.Dreher has used the information from her work, to publish books and give lectures/interviews that have helped to show that marijuana use in pregnant mothers does not harm the development of children. In her study the children "exposed" to marijuana were "less irritable and had better motor responses".
In fact her study showed that in many ways the "exposed children were more "physiologically stable". Still, she doesn't go so far as to recommend it, she only wishes to prove that there is no harm.
What is being learned about marijuana and pregnancy is important for our society. It is allowing individuals to make up their own mind, from a set of accurate data. As the stigma over marijuana lifts, it will also allow mothers to openly share their personal experiences.
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