Consuming cannabis regularly between the ages of 15 and 17 risks causing premature births later on.
- The OFDT counts nearly 5 million annual cannabis consumers in France, including 1.4 million regular consumers (with an average consumption of 10 times per month).
- On the black market, or through their own culture, the French consume between 360 and 500 tons of cannabis per year.
While the legalization of cannabis is debated in France, particularly following the dramatic events in Marseille and on the eve of a presidential campaign, a new study has just shown that the consumption of this drug in adolescence can cause premature deliveries.
A six-fold increase in risk
“There is growing evidence that the quality of health and development over the course of human life is played out before conception,” explain the researchers in the preamble. “We therefore investigated the associations between cannabis and tobacco use before conception of children and the advent of premature births or low birth weight babies,” they continue.
To do this, 665 people were assessed on several occasions regarding their tobacco and cannabis consumption between the ages of 14 and 29, before a pregnancy began. Result: daily cannabis use by the parent (maternal or paternal) before conception, from the age of 15 to 17, was associated with a six-fold increase in the risk of preterm delivery and low birth weight. .
“Growth begins before conception”
Outside of this age range, the researchers found few associations between cannabis use and complicated births. Ditto for tobacco consumption, which did not significantly impact the pre-conceptual periods.
“These results support the hypothesis that the origins of growth begin before conception and justify the establishment of preventive policies against regular cannabis use during adolescence,” conclude the authors of the study.
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