What are the best approaches for researching cannabis use in women?
Why was this study conducted?
This article was written to challenge what is seen as a bias in clinical guidelines on the use of cannabis during pregnancy and lactation. The authors propose that because the available evidence consists primarily of observational and preclinical studies and the viewpoint of parents are not included, current guidelines tend to be “limited, conflictual, and inconclusive.” As a result, they act to normalize cannabis consumption for men and those living “under privileged conditions,” but stigmatize its use for others, such as pregnant women and mothers.
What does this study add?
The authors argue there is a need for:
- Feminist and participatory research aimed at understanding women’s experience of cannabis access and consumption
- The development of clinical guidelines that utilize a harm-reduction approach and take into account the indirect health gains and possible benefits that pregnant women and parents derive from cannabis consumption.
Is there anything else I should know?
This article describes a proposed research agenda, but is not a systematic review of the literature or the results of an empirical research study.