 |
Marijuana (leaves and tops of plants), Hashish (hard chunks or cubes of dried cannabis resin and compressed flowers), Hashish Oil (viscous extract from hashish) |
| Routes |
| > Smoking (inhaling), oral ingestion (cooked or baked in foods), rarely injected |
| Safe Limits |
| > There is no known safe limit for use in pregnancy. Studies on this topic generally have many confounders |
| Harmful Effects |
| > Neonatal effects: no significant effect on birth parameters, no congenital anomalies > Obstetrical complications: no consistent association with antenatal/intrapartum complications > Possible neurobehavioural effects in neonate: increased tremors, exaggerated startles and sleep disturbances (decreased total quiet sleep at 1 month, which continued at 3 years of age) > Long-term effects: increased hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity from school age (6 years) to adolescence; increased delinquency and externalizing problems > Acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia associated with prenatal marijuana exposure (documented in one study) |
| Symptoms of Intoxication |
| > Increased heart rate > Impaired performance on psychomotor tasks and other forms of cognitive impairment |
| Symptoms and Signs of Withdrawal with Chronic Daily Use |
| > Mild symptoms and signs: irritability, insomnia, anorexia - resolve within days > Moderate symptoms and signs: anxiety, irritability - may continue for weeks |
| Withdrawal Management |
| > No specific therapy |
| Management of Dependence |
| > Reduce amount if unable to quit |
| Breastfeeding |
| > Marijuana is transferred into breast milk and may cause lethargy, poor feeding, and neurobehavioural effects in infant; abstinence from marijuana use is recommended while breastfeeding |
