Why Study Maternal Cannabis Use
Cannabis is the substance most commonly used during pregnancy. Groups such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that providers screen and counsel women on the risks associated with cannabis use and advise abstaining from use. However, these recommendations are being made in a context in which policies and perceptions about cannabis use are becoming increasingly acceptable.
Expanding legalization and increasing acceptability and accessibility to cannabis may exacerbate existing maternal health disparities. Amid increases in cannabis use among pregnant people and incomplete information about cannabis safety, understanding perceptions of cannabis use and its impact on maternal health disparities is urgently needed.
Who We Are
We are a multidisciplinary team of research scholars seeking to advance research and education in substance use. Our team consists of undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate researchers at USC and beyond. We are committed to advancing maternal health and social justice via the acquisition and dissemination of scientific knowledge.
Mission Statement
Advancing understanding of cannabis use experiences and related health inequities during pregnancy.
Integrating patient, clinician, and stakeholder perspectives in emerging maternal cannabis use and harm reduction fields.
Fostering person-driven evidence to counteract maternal health inequities surrounding substance use during pregnancy, particularly among people who are pregnant with marginalized identities.
Purpose Statement
Bridging the gaps of knowledge and communication between pregnant individuals, healthcare clinicians, and policymakers in changing times of cannabis use and legality.
Vision Statement
Our research goal in this lab group is to examine the historic and systematic inequities people face when they use cannabis during pregnancy, as well as to provide evidence-based research that supports healthy, safe, and equitable experiences in pregnancy and across the lifespan.
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