Cannabis Legalization Linked to Higher Use Before and During Pregnancy
Among 36,391 women surveyed, living in a state with recreational cannabis legalization was associated with 2.37 times higher odds of preconception use and 1.51 times higher odds of prenatal use.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Recreational cannabis legalization was associated with higher cannabis use across preconception (OR=2.37), prenatal (OR=1.51), and postpartum periods. Medical legalization was associated with higher preconception use (OR=3.32) but not prenatal use. Tobacco, e-cigarette, and moderate alcohol use were also associated with cannabis use.
Key Numbers
36,391 women surveyed; recreational legalization: OR 2.37 for preconception, 1.51 for prenatal use; medical legalization: OR 3.32 for preconception use, not significant for prenatal; tobacco and e-cigarette use also associated with cannabis use.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of combined 2016-2018 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data from 36,391 women, using logistic regression to estimate effects of state legalization status on cannabis use across reproductive periods.
Why This Research Matters
As more states legalize cannabis, understanding how legalization affects use during pregnancy is critical for developing updated prenatal counseling and public health messaging.
The Bigger Picture
The association between legalization and increased preconception and prenatal cannabis use suggests that legalization policies should be accompanied by strengthened prenatal substance use prevention programs and provider education.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported data may underestimate actual use; cross-sectional design limits causal inference; state-level legalization status does not capture individual access; potential confounders related to state culture.
Questions This Raises
- ?Are women in legal states receiving adequate counseling about cannabis risks during pregnancy?
- ?Does the type of cannabis product used during pregnancy affect fetal outcomes?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Recreational legalization was associated with 2.37x higher preconception cannabis use
- Evidence Grade:
- Large nationally representative dataset with robust statistical methods, limited by self-report and cross-sectional design.
- Study Age:
- Data from 2016-2018 PRAMS surveys.
- Original Title:
- Factors Associated With Cannabis Use During the Reproductive Cycle: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study of Women in States With Recreational and Medical Cannabis Legalization.
- Published In:
- Maternal and child health journal, 25(9), 1491-1500 (2021)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03569
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does legalization increase cannabis use during pregnancy?
This study found that women in states with recreational cannabis legalization were 1.51 times more likely to use cannabis during pregnancy compared to women in non-legal states, suggesting legalization is associated with increased prenatal use.
What about medical cannabis states?
Medical legalization was associated with higher preconception use (3.32x) but was not significantly associated with prenatal use, suggesting different patterns between medical and recreational legalization.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03569APA
Taylor, Danica Loralyn; Bell, Janice F; Adams, Susan L; Drake, Christiana. (2021). Factors Associated With Cannabis Use During the Reproductive Cycle: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study of Women in States With Recreational and Medical Cannabis Legalization.. Maternal and child health journal, 25(9), 1491-1500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-021-03197-1
MLA
Taylor, Danica Loralyn, et al. "Factors Associated With Cannabis Use During the Reproductive Cycle: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study of Women in States With Recreational and Medical Cannabis Legalization.." Maternal and child health journal, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-021-03197-1
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Factors Associated With Cannabis Use During the Reproductive..." RTHC-03569. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/taylor-2021-factors-associated-with-cannabis
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.