BALTIMORE – The legalization of recreational marijuana in certain states has brought with it a host of new challenges to health care professionals, particularly ob.gyns. and pediatricians, who may be faced with parents who use the drug but are unaware – or unwilling to recognize – the dangers of marijuana exposure to their children.
“A longitudinal, very good study that [showed] regular use [of marijuana] by adolescents [is] associated with about a 6-8 point reduction in adult IQ, and persistent neurocognitive deficits [that] may not even be fully reversible,” said Dr. Paula D. Riggs of the University of Colorado in Aurora.
In an interview at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, Dr. Riggs discussed this and other key studies that point to the dangers of marijuana exposure to children, both before and after birth, and how important it is that all health care professionals ask parents the right questions to ensure that children aren’t being put in danger of long-term cognitive repercussions of marijuana use.
Dr. Riggs did not report any relevant financial disclosures.