Colorado: Bill On Pregnancy Pot Warnings Questioned

[Jacob Redmond]

A bill to warn pregnant women about the dangers of using marijuana had some Colorado legislators on Monday questioning whether that would be constitutional, since the mandate from voters who passed 2012′s Amendment 64 was to regulate pot like alcohol.

After a rigorous debate, House Bill 1298 passed on a voice vote, but just barely. The House of Representatives will take a roll call vote within the next few days to determine if the bill dies or advances to the state Senate.

The legislation would require pot shops to “display in a conspicuous location a sign that warns pregnant women about the potential risks caused by marijuana.” The state health department would determine the signs’ language.

The bill also would prohibit marketing pot products to pregnant women.

“This bill is a fairly simple one, but it’s an important one,” said Rep. Jack Tate, R-Centennial, one of the bill’s sponsors. “It’s about providing information to consumers. It’s about providing important health information to people - specifically to pregnant women," *edit*

Bars and stores, however, don’t have to put up signs warning about the threat of alcohol to pregnant women. The federal government, however, requires those warnings appear on package labels.

“This bill violates the spirit of Amendment 64, and that’s in our constitution,” said Rep. Steve Lebsock, D-Thornton.

“We shouldn’t be doing that. We’re going to be treating this industry differently.”

Rep. Jonathan Singer, D-Longmont, another of the bill’s sponsors, said that they’re both warnings, just in different places. He said killing the bill would regulate the two differently, since no warning would apply to pot products.

Singer got support from House Republican leader Brian DelGrosso, R-Loveland: “We are doing basically the same thing we do with alcohol. It’s just not on the product. It just happens to be on the wall.”

News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Colorado bill on pot warnings for pregnant women questioned
Author: Joey Bunch
Contact: jbunch@denverpost.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Denver and Colorado marijuana news, culture, resources ? The Cannabist

 

[Radogast]

What ACTUAL problem area they claiming for neo-natal exposure?
Prevailing science is there MIGHT be an issue, but no one can find one.

It might be the exact opposite.


1994 study by Dr. Melanie Dreher, et al

ABSTRACT.

Objective.-To identify neurobehavioral effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on neonates in rural Jamaica.

Design.-Ethnographic field studies and standardized neurobehavior assessments during the neonatal period.

Setting.-Rural Jamaica in heavy-marijuana-using population.

Participants.-Twenty-four Jamaican neonates exposed to marijuana prenatally and 20 nonexposed neonates.

Measurements and main results.-Exposed and nonexposed neonates were compared at 3 days and 1 month old, using the Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale, including supplementary items to capture possible subtle effects. There were no significant differences between exposed and nonexposed neonates on day 3. At 1 month, the exposed neonates showed better physiological stability and required less examiner facilitation to reach organized states. The neonates of heavy-marijuana-using mothers had better scores on autonomic stability, quality of alertness, irritability, and self-regulation and were judged to be more rewarding for

conclusions.-The absence of any differences between the exposed on nonexposed groups in the early neonatal period suggest that the better scores of exposed neonates at 1 month are traceable to the cultural positioning and social and economic characteristics of mothers using marijuana that select for the use of marijuana but also promote neonatal development.-Pediatrics-1994;93:254-260;prenatal marijuana exposure, neonatal outcomes, Jamaica, Brazelton scale supplementary items.

 

[J9BLACK]

Exactly, the Jamaican study should have shut up such hysteria.

 

[MassMedMan]

Nice facts, Rad. Don't want to confuse them with the journalism.