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WASHINGTON — U.S. Surgeon General
James Adams issued a new warning Thursday against the use of marijuana
by pregnant women and adolescents, saying no amount “is known to be
safe.”
Adams’ statement did not break new ground but came at a time when an increasing number of states are debating whether to legalize the drug for either medical or personal use.
“Until
and unless more is known about the long-term impact, the safest choice
for pregnant women and adolescents is not to use marijuana,” Adams said.
“Pregnant women and youth — and those who love them — need the facts
and resources to support healthy decisions.”
“It
is critical to educate women and youth, as well as family members,
school officials, state and local leaders, and health professionals,
about the risks of marijuana, particularly as more states contemplate
legalization.”
Adams
called for prevention campaigns and for doctors to talk to new mothers
and young people about the drug. In addition, for pregnant mothers using
marijuana to combat nausea or pain from pregnancy, doctors can
prescribe other treatments, Adams said.
“We
know enough now to warrant concern and action,” he said. “Everyone has a
role in protecting our young people from the risks of marijuana.”
Jim Carroll, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, echoed Adams’ concerns.
“While
laws in some states have changed, the scientific evidence increasingly
shows the harmful effects of marijuana use,” Carroll said. “We are
focused on making sure all Americans are aware of the dangers of
marijuana use and the impact it has on developing minds.”
Adams’
statement was another argument for legalizing and regulating marijuana,
said Erik Alteri, executive director of NORML, the National
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
“A
pragmatic regulatory framework that allows for the legal, licensed
commercial production and retail sale of marijuana to adults but
restricts and discourages its use among young people — coupled with a
legal environment that fosters open, honest dialogue between parents and
children about marijuana’s effects — best reduces the risks associated
with the plant’s use or abuse,” Alteri said.
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams speaks in Decmeber 2018 in Boston.
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