Study: Consuming Cannabis While Pregnant Could Alter Baby’s Genes

An international study has discovered a link between cannabis use during pregnancy and changes in genes crucial for brain development. These changes lasted even into adulthood. Researchers analyzed data from participants in the UK and New Zealand from birth until age 17 or into their late 20s. The genes impacted influence the development of the brain’s cortex and even depression. Researchers also found genes associated with learning, memory, and neurological disorders were impacted. “Cannabis is now the most commonly used drug, excluding alcohol and tobacco, among pregnant women in the United States and the frequency has been rising since the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Amy Osborne of the University of Canterbury said. (Study Finds)