The Ethics and Management of Cannabis Use in Pregnancy: considering the
impact of legalisation of medicinal cannabis and associated increased
interest in recreational use; a review.
Abstract
Studies indicate that cannabis (marijuana) is the most frequently used
recreational substance (after tobacco and alcohol) in pregnancy despite
being under-reported. The prevalence is expected to increase with the
recent wave of interest in medicinal and recreational cannabis use,
resulting in the reconsideration of its classification in terms of
clinical and legal risks, in the backdrop of campaigns for its
decriminalisation and legalisation gradually sweeping the world. This
paper reviews the likely impact on the ethics of the use of cannabis in
pregnancy, and implications for obstetricians, midwives, general
practitioners, psychiatrists, and other clinicians managing such
patients.