(Harms of Cannabis Use Whilst Pregnant)

Abstract: Up to 20% of pregnant women ages 18–24 consume cannabis during pregnancy. Moreover, clinical studies indicate that cannabis consumption during pregnancy leads to fetal growth restriction (FGR), which is associated with an increased risk of obesity, type II diabetes (T2D), and cardiovascular disease in the offspring. This is of great concern considering that the concentration of D9- tetrahydrocannabinol (D9-THC), a major psychoactive component of cannabis, has doubled over the last decade and can readily cross the placenta and enter fetal circulation, with the potential to negatively impact fetal development via the endocannabinoid (eCB) system. Cannabis exposure in utero could also lead to FGR via placental insufficiency. In this review, we aim to examine current pre-clinical and clinical findings on the direct effects of exposure to cannabis and its constituents on fetal development as well as indirect effects, namely placental insufficiency, on postnatal metabolic diseases,  (International Journal of Molecular Sciences)

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By Sarah Swain Sep 7, 2021

A health charity is calling for a ban on the over-the-counter sale of vapes, after finding harmful chemicals including disinfectant, petroleum and fish euthanasia drugs inside the electronic smoking devices.

Lung Foundation Australia wants action on the sale of vapes, also known as e-cigarettes, which are largely unregulated but, with colourful packaging and fruity flavours, mostly aimed at young people.

Research by Curtin University and partly funded by the foundation found all of more than 50 vapes bought over the counter contained chemicals with "unknown effects on respiratory health".

Colourful vapes or e-cigarettes can be harmful. 

Household disinfectant, petroleum, cosmetics, paint and even eugenol, which is used to euthanise fish, were found inside the vaping liquid - as well as nicotine, which they're not supposed to contain.

"With the unregulated, untested and unknown nature of the vape industry, we knew the research into the chemicals and toxicity of e-liquids would uncover strong findings," Lung Foundation Australia chief executive Mark Brooke said.

"We never expected such alarming results."

More than half of the vapes contained chemicals likely to be toxic if repeatedly inhaled, the study said, and some of the chemicals could even cause lung cancer.

And while flavoured vapes are not supposed to contain nicotine - they're prescription-only in Australia - 20 per cent of those studied did.

"The damage caused by the continual use of these products could be costing a generation their freedom to healthy lungs and have our hospital respiratory units facing patients with respiratory issues and even lung disease or cancer," Mr Brooke said.

Young people under pressure

Melbourne woman Cypher Hayden, 19, was diagnosed with a form of pneumonia after becoming a regular user of flavoured vapes she legally bought from a shop.

Her mother Rebekah said her daughter was told by doctors the vapes were the cause of the illness.

Rebekah Hayden's daughter Cypher became sick from vaping. (Supplied)

"She was in a lot of pain, breathless and coughing," Ms Hayden said.

"I'm really concerned for my daughter but also on a wider level for young people."

While the teen has recovered from her illness, she now sometimes has to use a puffer.

Mr Tanvir, who is involved with the charity campaign, which also includes the launch of an education project, Unveil What You Inhale, said many friends and classmates at the University of Canberra use them.

He said some often wrongly believe they're "healthier" than cigarettes.

He said he knows as part of his health studies, as well as the recent findings, that's not at all true.

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Results: Higher average exposure to MM advertising was associated with higher average use, intentions to use, positive expectancies, and negative consequences. Similarly, higher rates of change in MM advertising exposure were associated with higher rates of change in use, intentions, expectancies, and consequences over seven years.

Conclusions: Results suggest that exposure to MM advertising may not only play a significant role in shaping attitudes about marijuana, but may also contribute to increased marijuana use and related negative consequences throughout adolescence. This highlights the importance of considering regulations for marijuana advertising, similar to regulations in place for the promotion of tobacco and alcohol in the U.S.

(Dalgarno Institute Comment: Permission models always and without exception create a level of psycho-social contagion leading to a higher chance of product engagement. Permission is still the most effective founding motivator for consumption in play  and corporations have known this for well over 150 years.

American writer and cultural critic Ambrose Beirce commented around the turn of the 20^th  century that, “A Corporation is an ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility.” These corporations have also understood (and particularly the addiction for profit industries) like alcohol and tobacco, that kids must be your target audience. Big Tobacco player R.J. Reynolds stated in in 1975 that, “Share penetration among 14 –24 age market….represents tomorrow’s cigarette business”. And the now famous principle authored by CEO Bennet Leslow of the Brook Group is that, “If you are really and truly not going to sell to children, you are going to be out of business in 30 years.”

Big Tobacco 2.0 – Big Cannabis – are desperate to get their addiction for profit product into the currents of trade, alongside the other socially acceptable drugs that do the greatest harms (because they are legal and socially acceptable) alcohol and tobacco. As you see with the above study and many others, the pernicious process is only the beginning of the harms that will come from this highly engineered substance.)

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Association of 1 Vaping Session With Cellular Oxidative Stress in Otherwise Healthy Young People With No History of Smoking or Vaping-A Randomized Clinical Crossover Trial

A single 30-minute vaping session can significantly increase cellular oxidative stress. Middlekauff et al demonstrated that vaping is associated with adverse changes in the body that can presage future health problems

Like tobacco cigarette (TCIG) smoking, long-term electronic cigarette (ECIG) vaping in young people is associated with elevated cellular oxidative stress (COS), which is important in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including atherosclerosis.¹ As with TCIG smoking,² even infrequent ECIG use may be associated with adverse biological effects with implications for future health risks. Importantly, the proportion of high school students who have used ECIGs within 1 month of the time of study has skyrocketed, approaching 30% in the US.^3,4 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of a single session of ECIG vaping on COS in immune cells in young people who do not smoke or vape compared with young people with long-term TCIG or ECIG use.

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