Cannabis Legalization is Saving People From Police Searches

By Duke London

A recently published study focused on traffic stops by police in Colorado and Washington found that states experienced a striking decrease in vehicle searches after cannabis legalization.

“After marijuana use was legalized, Colorado and Washington saw dramatic drops in search rates,” according to the study conducted by the Open Policing Project at Stanford University. Researchers believed that because the bulk of searches begin with drug-related suspicion, legalizing marijuana drastically lowered the overall number of searches by taking away the largest proponent of probable cause.

The study excludes searches that take place after an arrest, meaning the data centered on the decision-making of officers in traffic stop situations.


If this trend continues in other states that have legalized cannabis, it will be interesting to see how law enforcement divisions cope with the sudden blow to their search volume. For example, in Massachusetts, the changing legal climate surrounding cannabis is forcing the state to retire an entire generation of K-9 officers that can’t be untrained to detect the scent of marijuana.

For those at home wondering why traffic searches are problematic for individuals who have nothing to hide from law enforcement, be aware that your experience may not be representative of reality for others in this country. Lives are being lost in the United States as the result of police-led vehicle searches gone horribly wrong.

“I thought, I was gonna die,” Officer Jeronimo Yanez told investigators fifteen hours after fatally shooting Philando Castile in his car while Castile’s girlfriend and a small child surrounded him.

“And I thought if he’s, if he has the, the guts and the audacity to smoke marijuana in front of the five-year-old girl and risk her lungs and risk her life by giving her secondhand smoke and the front seat passenger doing the same thing then what, what care does he give about me. And, I let off the rounds and then after the rounds were off, the little girls was screaming.”

While it was the presence of a firearm, albeit legally permitted, that escalated the situation between Officer Yanez and Philando Castile that fateful day, it was the detection of marijuana that drove the desire for a search that would turn up no drugs. In Minnesota, where this tragedy took place, medical marijuana patients can legally possess up to a 30-day supply of medicine. Even in an instance where the smell of cannabis is detected, there should still be a number of other questions asked by a law enforcement officer before triggering a full sweep.

While the total number of vehicle searches fell in Colorado and Washington during the timeframe of the Open Policing Project study, the racial disparity in the search volume stayed relatively consistent throughout. Black and Hispanic drivers are still far more likely to have their vehicle searched by law enforcement than a White motorist, even when the largest catalyst for searches is taken away. That displays a deeply-rooted culture of discrimination and prejudice among the entire judicial system, but money also plays a tremendous role in the problem.

Police departments routinely utilize seized assets to skirt traditional budgetary constraints and pay for new state-of-the-art equipment, overtime hours, and militarized training. A 2014 Washington Post investigation into property seizures by police revealed that United States law enforcement officers seized more than $1 billion in currency and assets from vehicles during stops in the decade between 2002 and 2012. Because the law states that the accused must prove they acquired the money or assets legally to regain ownership, many victims of seizure never see their property returned — even if police never ended up finding the contraband they were hunting for in the first place.

“In tight budget periods, and even in times of budget surpluses, using asset forfeiture dollars to purchase equipment and training to stay current with the ever-changing trends in crime fighting helps serve and protect the citizens,” said Julie Parker, spokeswoman for Prince George’s County Police Department in Maryland.

But Brad Cates, former director of asset forfeiture at the Department of Justice, isn’t buying it. Cates alleges that law enforcement is using property seizures as “a free floating slush fund.”

The Post’s investigation revealed that of over $2.5 billion accounted for in various spending reports by police departments, 81 percent were seized as part of cases for which charges were never filed.

Since September 11, 2001, over 60,000 cash seizures have taken place on American highways without prior search warrants or indictments filed post-search.

Until our nation’s law enforcement can show that they will truly use roadside vehicle searches as a tool for public safety rather than a catalyst for discrimination and revenue generation, we will have to rely on marijuana reform to at least offset the volume of searches that occur.

“All of this is fundamentally at odds with the U.S. Constitution,” explained Cates. “All of this is at odds with the rights that Americans have.” 

Catalonia Spain Legalizes Cannabis Cultivation and Consumption

By Jon Hiltz

The days of Catalonia’s cannabis clubs operating in a legal limbo are coming to an end, and for a good reason.

Today, the Catalonia Parliament in Spain, which operates as its own autonomous government, will be regulating the cultivation, consumption, and transport of adult-use cannabis. This ambitious and bold decision marks the first time in Europe that an adult-use system of this nature is permitted, effectively making cannabis a legal commodity in the region.

Three years in the making, the decision is finally receiving broad party support within the Catalan government.

In 2014, a resolution was passed asking government officials to create a series of regulations for cannabis clubs, but due to a lack of consensus among the working groups, the idea quickly lost momentum. 

Then in 2015, a group known as La Rosa Verda collected more than 56,000 signatures, prompting the creation of a paper in Parliament with contributions from over 30 cannabis experts. These included psychologists, sociologists, pharmacologists, doctors and a host of others.

The results culminated into this historic move, where growing, consuming and transporting cannabis will no longer be scrutinized by authorities.

“We did not want to do something halfway,” said Alba Vergés, Chairwomen of the Health Commission in Parliament. Vergés is referring to the famous “backdoor law” which existed for decades in places like Holland and Amsterdam, where selling marijuana was legal but cultivation was still run by the black market. That is why growing pot is included in this landmark decision by the Catalonians.

The new regulations say that cannabis clubs cannot produce more than 150 kg of dried marijuana per year. Each crop will require a sign-off from an agronomist to determine if the amount grown is in line with the amount consumed for each cannabis club.

When cannabis is being transported, club managers must have documents detailing the association responsible for the crop. As well, the identity of the carrier, the destination of where it’s going, the date, quantity, and type of product must be known; public transport cannot be used for distribution.

Although these new regulations are for the benefit of Catalonians who enjoy cannabis, marijuana tourism is not permitted. Because of this regulation, the new rules will stipulate that anyone who applies to be a member of a cannabis club will need to wait 15 days until they can partake in the club’s marijuana crop.

Anyone over the age of 21 can purchase up to 60 grams per month, and those who are between 18-21 are only permitted 20 grams per month, but the amounts do not apply to those who use marijuana for medical purposes. As well, these new regulations do not allow the consumption of alcohol in the cannabis clubs or marijuana edibles of any kind.

The cannabis clubs of Catalonia welcome this decision and hope that it will end cannabis arrests in the region. “The only thing we ask for is legal security,” said one cannabis club owner who asked not to be identified. “We have been working with one foot in the law for many years and another one out.”

The Catalonian government is aware that this new ruling can be challenged in constitutional court by the federal government in Spain. The Catalonian Parliament has publicly stated that consumption is legally their decision and that Catalonia is within its legal right to allow this legislation.

The significance of Catalonia legalizing adult-use cannabis for its citizens is nothing short of remarkable. It sets a precedent that acknowledges the failed war on drugs while simultaneously paving a better path for cannabis consumers in Spain and potentially other European countries.

But perhaps Alba Vergés said it best. “The law we will approve is very advanced and gives a very clear message. It’s time for a paradigm shift when it comes to legislating drugs.”
 

Smoking Weed Can Help Keep You Thin And Healthy, Research Has Found

by Matthew Kirby

Weed is known for its infamous "munchies," forcing couch-locked stoners down an unstoppable trip into all the best high-sugar snacks and junk food.

But while it may seem like this would wreak havoc on your waistline, new research has found that it could actually help keep you thin and healthy.

According to researchers from Oregan Health and Science University (OHSU), people who smoke cannabis more than five times per month have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who do not.

BMI is a measure that uses your height and weight to work out if your weight is healthy. For most adults, an ideal BMI is in the 18 kg/m² to 25 kg/m² range, the NHS write.

"Heavy cannabis users were more likely to have a lower BMI," the research concludes, with a mean BMI sitting at 26.7 kg/m² and 28.4 kg/m² in those who never smoke, Salon reports.

The research also claims people who consume marijuana on a regular basis tend to be more physically active than those who use it sporadically or not at all.

As the lead author of an identical study, conducted in 2016 by the University of Miami, Isabelle C. Beulaygue explains: 

"There is a popular belief that people who consume marijuana have the munchies, and so [they] are going to eat a lot and gain weight, and we found that it is not necessarily the case."

And this isn't even the first or second time scientists have reached this conclusion.

In 2012, the British Medical Journal published a report outlining how "marijuana use was associated with a decreased prevalence of diabetes."

In 2013, as part of a study into cannabis' impact on insulin levels, American researchers found "significant associations between marijuana use and smaller waist circumferences."

Researchers haven't been able to establish the reason behind this, however, but some claim those who consume cannabis may be better at breaking down blood sugar, which helps prevent weight gain.

Mexico Joins Canada In Making Cannabis Legal, Leaving the US Far Behind in Marijuana Policy.

Our neighbors to the north and south see the war on drugs as a failure and legal cannabis as an opportunity.

By dispensaries.com


Just like that, Mexico joined Canada this month in making medical marijuana legal nationwide. And the Canadian Parliament is considering making adult-use marijuana legal across the nation by mid-2018.

All of this could potentially put legal marijuana businesses in the United States far behind their neighbors to the north and south.

Marijuana remains an illegal drug at the federal level in the United States, although 29 states and the District of Columbia have made medical marijuana legal. Another eight states, as well as the district, have made adult-use marijuana legal.

The Trump Administration shows no signs of changing the federal law anytime soon. If anything, it's just the opposite. Members of the administration have been so vocally antagonistic to legalized marijuana that a bi-partisan group of senators have submitted a bill protecting state medical marijuana laws from federal interference.

What's this mean for marijuana entrepreneurs in the U.S.? Potentially some very stiff competition, according to former Mexico President Vincente Fox.

Exporting marijuana.

Both Canada and Mexico will take the lead in producing medical marijuana for use in the U.S., Fox told those gathered at this month's National Cannabis Industry Association convention in Oakland, Calif.

Both Canada and Mexico intend to export medical marijuana to the U.S., a legal practice under international law.

Fox said he eventually expects Mexico to produce and export as much as 60 percent of the marijuana used by those in the U.S. Fox said cannabis "has to be integrated into NAFTA," allowing it to be traded across the border "without barrier, without taxes and limits, only complying with the law."

Change of heart.

Current Mexican President Enrique Pena Nietro had opposed legalizing medical marijuana nationwide as little as a year ago, but began to change his mind after a national debate on the issue in 2016.

He has in recent months called for countries around the world to rethink their approach to illegal drugs, treating it more as a public health issue.

The decree issued by Pena Nietro gives the country's Health Secretary 180 days to "harmonize regulations" on medical marijuana, as well as the creation of regulations to govern production, sale and use of medical marijuana.

The decree also calls for research into all the potential health benefits of marijuana, as well as programs that prevent children and adolescents from having access to marijuana and programs for those who develop addictions. The measure passed Mexico's Lower House of Congress by a vote of 371-19, according to the Independent. It had earlier passed the Senate by a vote of 98-7.

Ravaged by drug wars.

Mexican leaders took the action on medical marijuana - and Pena Nietro has taken a new stance on illegal drugs as a whole - as the country faces a continued escalation in the drug wars that have ravaged Mexico for years.

After a downturn in violence in the early years after the turn of the century, deaths related to Mexican drug wars totaled 121,669 between 2006 and 2012, according to a recent report from the Justice in Mexico project at the University of California- San Diego's Department of Politic Science and International Relations.

We need to stop romanticizing alcohol

André Picard

There has been, in recent months, intense attention paid to the devastation wrought by opioids and endless debate about the potential health impacts of legalizing marijuana.

Meanwhile, we continue to be willfully blind to the damage done by a deadly, damaging and commonly used drug: alcohol.

That opioids overdoses caused an estimated 2,000 deaths in Canada last year is front-page news, and rightfully so. The spike in mortality is troubling.

But alcohol kills more than 5,000 people annually, year in and year out. (And, of course, there’s tobacco, which kills 37,000 Canadians a year, but at least we discuss and act upon the health impacts of smoking.)

Alcohol is too often portrayed as good, harmless fun.

Yet a new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows that 77,000 hospitalizations in Canada last year were entirely caused by alcohol – more than heart attacks. 

And that doesn’t include people treated in the ER for alcohol-related conditions and then released.

Alcohol kills and maims in a perversely diverse number of ways.

There are the acute problems such as alcohol poisoning (read: overdose), withdrawal and delirium. 

There are the long-term impacts such as cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, an increased risk of developing several cancers and damage to the fetus such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and exacerbation of mental illness. All told, alcohol negatively affects more than 200 health conditions.

Alcohol misuse fuels violence, sexual assault, suicide and traumatic injuries, and does immeasurable damage to families and relationships.

Impaired driving not only kills – 1,497 deaths last year, including 883 involving alcohol, according to MADD Canada – but it is the single most common criminal offence in Canada; 30 per cent of all criminal charges are related to alcohol abuse or misuse.

Needless to say, all this is costly.

Alcohol misuse cost the economy $14.6-billion – in lost productivity, direct health costs and enforcement. But note that this number is from 2002, the most recent year for which data is available; why we don’t routinely measure the health and economic impact of a drug used by 80 per cent of adults beggars belief.

Now, at this point in the litany of alcohol’s sins, the pot people will be chomping at the bit, claiming “cannabis never killed anyone.” Some even suggest that we would be better off if there were fewer drinkers and more tokers.

Perhaps.

There are a number of lessons, good and bad, that can be taken from our experience with alcohol that can inform the legalization of marijuana and, to a lesser extent, the opioid-overdose crisis.

First of all, drugs – all drugs – can be used responsibly, or irresponsibly.

Prohibition doesn’t work. We should legalize (and regulate) all drugs.

When you legalize drugs selectively – such as alcohol and now cannabis – you send an implicit message that they are safer and better.

Legalization doesn’t magically make a drug safer. The dose makes the poison.

The biggest problem with alcohol is that it’s overused. Drinking has become the norm in virtually all social settings, rather than an occasional pleasure.

If you want responsible, healthy drug use, smart regulation and good education are essential.

With alcohol, we’ve done a middling job on both counts, and we shouldn’t repeat those mistakes with marijuana.

For the longest time, driving was seen as okay if you only had “a few.” That culture hasn’t changed entirely.

The rules should be clear: Don’t drive if you drink; don’t drive if you smoke or otherwise consume marijuana. (There are already fatalities involving cannabis-impaired drivers; we don’t need more.)

We need to do away with pointless criminalization of drug possession but, at the same time, we have to be unflinching in imposing penalties if misuse harms others.

With alcohol, we’ve learned that how a drug is labelled, where it is sold and how much it costs impacts consumption.

We know, too, that drugs can have a deleterious effect on the developing brain, so we have to pay particular attention to young people. That doesn’t mean trying to scare them with Reefer Madness-type warnings. Currently, the guidelines for alcohol use are far more lax than for cannabis and that doesn’t make sense.

We need to talk frankly about the risks and benefits of drugs and encourage responsible use of alcohol, cannabis or whatever other drug people, young and old, choose to dabble in.

We also need to update our culture norms, beginning with abandoning our hypocritical romanticizing and normalization of alcohol.

Los Angeles releases proposed commercial cannabis regulations

by:Thompson Coburn LLP

In one of the most significant milestones in the history of marijuana legislation, Los Angeles’ City Council recently released its proposed regulations governing commercial cannabis activity in the city. Simultaneously, the Department of City Planning released a draft ordinance proposing land use and sensitive use requirements for commercial cannabis activity in Los Angeles.

The releases mark the next step in the city’s effort to create a comprehensive framework for licensing and regulating cannabis businesses in the wake of recent voter-passed marijuana measures.

Most notably, Proposition 64, known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (previously summarized in this Tracking Cannabis post), was passed by California voters in November 2016, legalizing recreational marijuana. The finalized requirements are expected to have a significant impact on local marijuana regulation throughout the state and across the country as lawmakers turn to Los Angles for guidance in establishing their own regulations.

L.A. City Council: ‘We need your help’

The release commenced a 60-day public comment period (ending on Aug. 8, 2017) during which time the City Council will refrain from taking any further action. City councilmembers urged residents, civic organizations and business groups to provide public comments and recommendations to the council.

“We need your help in coming up with a final version of these requirements and draft ordinance(s),” wrote City Council president Herb J. Wesson, Jr. and three other councilmembers in a letter attached to the proposed regulations, “and we are eager to receive your suggestions.”

The public comment period is mandated by Proposition M, which was passed by Los Angeles residents in March 2017 with more than 80 percent voter approval. The measure required City Council to convene public hearings and engage in a robust deliberative process prior to enacting marijuana regulations.

How we got here

In 2013, Los Angeles voters passed Proposition D (also known as the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Ordinance) which prohibited marijuana businesses in the city but granted to certain qualifying businesses a “limited immunity” from the enforcement of the prohibition. An estimated 135 medical dispensaries qualified for the limited immunity, while hundreds of other businesses opened and operated illegally.

Proposition M repealed Proposition D and authorized the City Council to create a new cannabis regulatory framework. The measure called for the adoption of a “comprehensive regulatory process and structure for all cannabis related activity by Sept. 30, 2017.” The proposed rules, released on June 8, 2017, are the most significant step in creating this framework and replacing the much maligned Proposition D. The release was praised by many advocates in the cannabis industry, including Virgil Grant, president and co-founder of the Southern California Coalition, who called it “a positive step towards fully licensing and regulating the cannabis industry in Los Angeles.”

Obtaining a certificate of compliance

Under the proposed framework, to legally conduct and engage in commercial cannabis activity, a business must first apply for and obtain a Certificate of Compliance from the city’s Cannabis Commission. Dispensaries operating legally under Proposition D and certain non-retail cannabis businesses are eligible to obtain a provisional certificate to continue operations while applications are being processed and reviewed.

Application requirements include:

• Disclosing detailed financial information about the applicant business and its owners.
• Providing a detailed plan for hiring local residents and transitional workers.
  Entering into a labor peace agreement with employees (not required for businesses with fewer than 10 employees).
• Obtaining a valid state license for Commercial Cannabis Activity.
• Describing how the business will meet track-and-trace, inventory, and other operational requirements.
• Providing a proposed community benefits agreement.
• Submitting to a pre-inspection of the premises, which may include inspection by agents of the Cannabis Department, Department of Building and Safety, Department of City Planning, Police Department, and Fire Department.

Application processing phases

The proposed regulations call for applications to be processed in four phases. Priority is awarded to existing medical marijuana dispensaries that have operated in compliance with Proposition D and to non-retail applicants, such as indoor cultivation businesses and manufacturing businesses that opened prior to Jan. 1, 2016.

Once these applicants are processed, the city will begin to issue Certificates of Compliance to the general public and to applicants under a Social Equity Program. Until the Social Equity Program is fully funded and implemented, as determined by the City Council, the number of certificates issued to the general public cannot exceed the number issued under the Social Equity Program.

The draft regulations provide little guidance on how Social Equity Program eligibility will be determined, other than describing the program’s mission and objective:

“[The Social Equity Program will] be based on a social equity analysis aimed at promoting equitable ownership and employment opportunities in the cannabis industry in order to decrease disparities in life outcomes for marginalized communities and to address the disproportionate impacts of the war on drugs in those communities.”

Automatic rejection

The draft regulations propose automatically rejecting certain applications, including those submitted by a foreign corporation or by a person employed by an agency that enforces and regulates cannabis. Additionally, individuals convicted for violating any wages or labor laws within the past five years will be automatically rejected.

Restrictions on retail cannabis businesses

Under the proposed regulations, retail cannabis businesses cannot:

• Sell alcohol or allow alcohol or marijuana consumption on the premises.
• Hold special events or parties on the premises.
• Provide free samples of cannabis goods.
• Display cannabis goods in a place visible outside the premises.
• Operate between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
• Sell cannabis through exterior openings, such as drive-through or walk-up windows.
• Provide any form of entertainment other than ambient music (the regulations specifically prohibit cannabis businesses from providing disc jockey, karaoke, dancing and adult entertainment).

Retail cannabis businesses will be required to:

• Lock all cannabis goods in a locked safe or vault at all times when the business is not open.
• Limit the amount of goods on display to the average amount of cannabis goods sold by the business during an average one-day period.
• Follow inventory tracking requirements, including the use of electronic track-and-trace systems and point-of-sale terminals.
• Maintain records of all financial transactions for seven years.

Delivery regulations

One of the most significant consequences of the proposed framework is the legalization of marijuana delivery in Los Angeles. Until now, the city has prohibited the delivery of marijuana and City Attorney Mike Feuer aggressively pursued delivery businesses, such as Nestdrop and Speed Weed, shutting down the Los Angeles operations of these companies.

The new regulations legalize cannabis delivery by licensed businesses that comply with delivery regulations, such as:

• Delivery cars must contain a dedicated GPS device (which can’t be a phone or tablet).
• Delivery employees cannot carry more than $3,000 (based on retail price) of cannabis goods at a time.
• Deliveries cannot be made outside of the boundaries of Los Angeles or to recipients on publicly owned land.
• Deliveries cannot be made by unmanned vehicles.

Cultivator and manufacturer regulations

The proposed regulations prohibit any business from engaging in outdoor cultivation or mixed light cultivation. Indoor cultivation businesses must comply with environmental rules and limitations on power use, among other requirements.

Manufacturers are prohibited from infusing marijuana into alcoholic beverages or products containing nicotine or caffeine. Cannabis juice, perishable bakery products, canned products, dairy products, meat products and seafood products are all banned as well. The regulations also prohibit manufacturing cannabis products by applying cannabinoid concentrate or extract to commercially available candy or snack food items.

Under the proposed rules, THC levels in manufactured products cannot exceed 10 mg per serving and 100 mg per package. Manufacturers, like all cannabis businesses, must install air filtration and ventilation systems to neutralize odors so that no odor is present beyond its exterior walls.

Proposed land use ordinance

The Department of City Planning’s proposed Commercial Cannabis Location Restriction Ordinance restricts the location of various types of commercial cannabis activity. The ordinance limits the areas where commercial cannabis activity is allowed and requires separation between cannabis retailers and sensitive sites, such as schools, parks and libraries.

According to the Department, one of the purposes of the ordinance is to reduce the negative impacts and secondary effects associated with commercial cannabis activity in Los Angeles, including “neighborhood disruption and intimidation caused in part by increased transient visitors, exposure of school-age children and other sensitive residents to cannabis, cannabis sales to minors, and violent crimes.”

The draft rules would restrict dispensary and retailer commercial cannabis activity to primarily commercial and manufacturing zones. Cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, testing and distribution activity would be primarily limited to the city’s manufacturing zones. Dispensaries and other retailers cannot, under the proposed ordinance, open within 800 feet of schools, public libraries, parks, drug and alcohol treatment facilities or other cannabis retailers. In connection with the proposed ordinance, the department released maps reflecting the areas in which cannabis retail and manufacturing/cultivation activities will be permitted.

What’s at stake?  

As the largest city in California, where the cannabis industry (according to a recent study by the University of California Agricultural Issue Center at UC Davis) is predicted to become a $5 billion industry, Los Angeles has emerged at the forefront of marijuana policy and legislation.

As municipalities throughout the state prepare to legalize sales of recreational cannabis under Proposition 64, industry experts predict that other cities in California will look to Los Angeles’ regulations as a basis for enacting their own laws.

Hezekiah Allen, president of the California Growers Association, said “robust local policies in Los Angeles are critical to the success of regulated cannabis in the entire state of California.” With Los Angeles’ City Council actively seeking public feedback for its proposed regulations, the ongoing public comment period marks a crucial time for the future of marijuana policy and legislation.

Here’s 3 Things Science Still Can’t Tell Us About Pregnancy

Canwest News/ Wikipedia Commons

 

By Kaitlin Kimont

 

After many years of research, scientists have been able to explain why certain things happen to pregnant women, like why there’s excess hair on your face or chest — that’s from a new batch of hormones taking over your body — and which substances can be dangerous to an unborn baby, such as alcohol and cigarettes. But even in 2017, while scientists are working toward finding every unknown answer, there are still a lot of things science can’t tell us about pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a mystical and beautiful time in a woman’s life. In just nine months, a baby will grow from the size of a watermelon seed to a full 7-pound watermelon. Those are things we know, thanks to developments in the technology and many inquisitive medical minds.

For example, scientists have been able to link alcohol consumption during pregnancy to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which can cause both physical and mental birth defects. Doctors can also accurately say that pregnant women can not donate blood and should take extra precaution if they decide to sunbathe, as the sun can increase the body temperatures of both mom and baby and possibly lead to a preterm labor, according to The Guardian.

contato/ Pixabay

While those are just a few examples and serve as proof that science does know a lot about this time in a woman's life, there are still some pregnancy questions that have only scratched the surface — such as these three:

What Are The Exact Risks Linked To Marijuana, & Is Medical Marijuana OK To Use During Pregnancy?

Sean Gallup/Getty Images News/Getty Images

While doctors have linked marijuana use during pregnancy with an increased risk for pregnancy complications — like low birth weight and premature birth — researchers have mostly studied "the effects of marijuana use during pregnancy on animals," according to Healtlhine. So it's still hard to say what the exact risks would be for an unborn baby.

According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pregnant women should be encouraged to discontinue marijuana use because there is "insufficient data to evaluate the effects" that it has on an infant.

And when it comes to medical marijuana — which 29 states have legalized — the ACOG says there are no standard dosages, formulations, delivery systems regarding use of it during pregnancy.
While the science still isn't all there yet, doctors recommend against using it both recreationally and medically for now.

Can Food Allergies Develop In Utero & Can A Fetus Have An Allergic Reaction?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getty Images/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Over the years, there have been conflicting recommendations and studies about what exactly cause food allergies in an unborn child. While some research has said that allergies can begin in utero, it's still unclear which factors are the source (is it genetics, the environment, or specific foods?), according to the National Institute of Health.

"While it's clear that a mother's diet influences the health of her unborn child, there's a lack of evidence that eating specific foods can prevent certain illnesses and conditions in her child," according to ABC News.

The science is pretty clear that a certain diet can effect the development of the child growing inside the womb, but when it comes to allergies, there's a lot of grey area.

And since fetuses are still developing an immune system, it's hard to say whether a fetus can have an allergic reaction — and what that would entail — to something its mother has eaten. Essentially, this area of science is still a work in progress.

When Exactly During Pregnancy Does Zika Affect The Fetus?

Mario Tama/Getty Images News/Getty Images

While mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus have been linked to devastating birth defects — such as microcephaly and underdeveloped brains — in babies born to women infected during pregnancy, public health officials don't know exactly when it happens.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Zika "can be passed from a woman to her fetus during pregnancy or around the time of birth."

At this time, the CDC doesn't know:

• Whether the timing of a woman's Zika infection or the severity of it affects her pregnancy.
• When Zika is passed from a woman to her fetus, such as if it happens during pregnancy or around the time of birth

Despite these unknowns, researchers say Zika is still dangerous at any stage of pregnancy. While more answers will go a long way in combating this epidemic in the future, anyone who is pregnant or looking to become pregnant should do their best to avoid Zika at all costs.

Science has indeed come a long way in modern history and it's only a matter of time — although it could take years — before these questions are answered, too.