KALAMAZOO, Mich. — For every six expecting mothers in Michigan, at least one of them is using cannabis recreationally, or for pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness, insomnia and anxiety according to researchers at Michigan State University.

Data was collected from more than 1,100 women between 2017-2023.

“I’m not surprised,” Certified Nurse Midwife at Bronson Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Midwifery Specialists Amanda Ezekiel said.

Although Ezekiel and other health professionals aren’t mandated to require patients to terminate use of cannabis during their pregnancy, she is sure to educate them about the risks and how to minimize potential harm to newborns.

“We really depend on people being honest and open with us,” Ezekiel said, adding that she recognizes some patients may be hesitant to disclose their cannabis use out of fear of judgement.

“If you are using it because you’re having symptoms, let’s talk about other ways that are FDA approved and safe to manage those symptoms,” Ezekiel said. “…if you can’t quit completely, reducing the amount that you’re using is going to be better than nothing.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website does not recommend cannabis use during pregnancy. Their website reads, “Cannabis may be bad for your baby no matter how you use it—this includes smoking, vaping, dabbing, eating or drinking, and applying creams or lotions to the skin.”

However, language can be found on the CDC’s website that suggests certain cannabinoids can help relieve the side effects of cancer and other medical ailments.

“I think people have this idea that this perceived notion that it is safe because you can get a medical card for it [cannabis] for certain reasons. So, if you can use it for medical reasons, it must not be that bad,” Ezekiel said.

Use of cannabis during pregnancy can lead to preterm labor, low birth weight, intellectual delays, behavioral and attention issues, and other potential long-term health risks.

“We don’t even know the amount of of risks completely yet because there are so many different formulations of cannabis, there’s so many different dosages, it’s really hard to monitor. So, we’re going to learn more as time goes on,” Ezekiel said. “But what we know now is that it can cause harm, it can be dangerous, and it might even be more harmful than we realize. So, we shouldn’t be minimizing that risk.”

Despite this, creators on social media platforms like TikTok have gained tens of thousands of views and engagements for content justifying and encouraging moms struggling with symptoms to “garden”. “Gardening” is a code word for smoking or otherwise using cannabis in order to avoid censorship on the platform.

News Channel 3 showed Ezekiel several videos with claims that “gardening” is a safe and harmless solution for some moms.

“It’s really hard to combat these kinds of messages, because she [the TikTok creator] really is making it sound like it’s not a big deal,” Ezekiel said. “I think it’s just more socially acceptable.”

According to Ezekiel, social media plays a major part in the misinformation surrounding cannabis use during pregnancy, and the stigma surrounding cannabis and alcohol use during pregnancy are vastly different despite similar risks.

“If someone’s saying, ‘Well, I’m treating my anxiety with vodka every day,’ I don’t think people would feel the same way about that,” Ezekiel said.

Instead of approaching conversations with patients using cannabis with judgement, Ezekiel focuses on being understanding and emphasizing other options for relief from pregnancy symptoms.

“We have protocols, we have medications, we have IV infusions, we have a number of other, like, not even just one type of therapy. Like, ‘if this fails, we have plan B, we have plan C,'” Ezekiel said.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — For every six expecting mothers in Michigan, at least one of them is using cannabis recreationally, or for pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness, insomnia and anxiety according to researchers at Michigan State University.

Data was collected from more than 1,100 women between 2017-2023.

“I’m not surprised,” Certified Nurse Midwife at Bronson Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Midwifery Specialists Amanda Ezekiel said.

Although Ezekiel and other health professionals aren’t mandated to require patients to terminate use of cannabis during their pregnancy, she is sure to educate them about the risks and how to minimize potential harm to newborns.

“We really depend on people being honest and open with us,” Ezekiel said, adding that she recognizes some patients may be hesitant to disclose their cannabis use out of fear of judgement.

“If you are using it because you’re having symptoms, let’s talk about other ways that are FDA approved and safe to manage those symptoms,” Ezekiel said. “…if you can’t quit completely, reducing the amount that you’re using is going to be better than nothing.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website does not recommend cannabis use during pregnancy. Their website reads, “Cannabis may be bad for your baby no matter how you use it—this includes smoking, vaping, dabbing, eating or drinking, and applying creams or lotions to the skin.”

However, language can be found on the CDC’s website that suggests certain cannabinoids can help relieve the side effects of cancer and other medical ailments.

“I think people have this idea that this perceived notion that it is safe because you can get a medical card for it [cannabis] for certain reasons. So, if you can use it for medical reasons, it must not be that bad,” Ezekiel said.

Use of cannabis during pregnancy can lead to preterm labor, low birth weight, intellectual delays, behavioral and attention issues, and other potential long-term health risks.

“We don’t even know the amount of of risks completely yet because there are so many different formulations of cannabis, there’s so many different dosages, it’s really hard to monitor. So, we’re going to learn more as time goes on,” Ezekiel said. “But what we know now is that it can cause harm, it can be dangerous, and it might even be more harmful than we realize. So, we shouldn’t be minimizing that risk.”

Despite this, creators on social media platforms like TikTok have gained tens of thousands of views and engagements for content justifying and encouraging moms struggling with symptoms to “garden”. “Gardening” is a code word for smoking or otherwise using cannabis in order to avoid censorship on the platform.

News Channel 3 showed Ezekiel several videos with claims that “gardening” is a safe and harmless solution for some moms.

“It’s really hard to combat these kinds of messages, because she [the TikTok creator] really is making it sound like it’s not a big deal,” Ezekiel said. “I think it’s just more socially acceptable.”

According to Ezekiel, social media plays a major part in the misinformation surrounding cannabis use during pregnancy, and the stigma surrounding cannabis and alcohol use during pregnancy are vastly different despite similar risks.

“If someone’s saying, ‘Well, I’m treating my anxiety with vodka every day,’ I don’t think people would feel the same way about that,” Ezekiel said.

Instead of approaching conversations with patients using cannabis with judgement, Ezekiel focuses on being understanding and emphasizing other options for relief from pregnancy symptoms.

“We have protocols, we have medications, we have IV infusions, we have a number of other, like, not even just one type of therapy. Like, ‘if this fails, we have plan B, we have plan C,'” Ezekiel said.