From: [n j j] at [pokey.mc.com] (Neil Johnson) Organization: Me Ok, it seems the consensus is that marijuana MAY (no real proof yet though) pose a very slight risk to fetal development. So the prudent thing to do is avoid it. What About Medical Marijuana for Pregnant Women? One big point everyone is missing is medical marijuana & pregnancy. We all know marijuana is an anti-nausea drug. Well why not use it during pregnancy. Increased calorie intake, and less chance of medical complications (like dehydration due to nausea). I can see people cringing at the thought of pregnant women siting around smoking bones cause they think it will make themselves & the baby healthy & happy. But lets consider the flip side. With both my wife's first & second (current) pregnancy she was effectively denied medical marijuana via frequent piss tests (standard procedure for many hospitals). Well during the first pregnancy she had a severe case of morning sickness which resulted in a constant battle to keep food & fluids down. (Really bad for the fetus) Then near disaster struck. She got the flu resulting mega dehydration & went into false labor (way too early). Well I rushed here to the emergency room where she was put on an IV-drip for rehydration & we prepared for a mega-premie baby! Well we where lucky & the baby never came out & my wife returned to normal. Ok, now consider if she was allowed medical marijuana. Maybe she would of had a normal enjoyable pregnancy? Well it gets worse. Pregnancy #2 in progress right now. Some morning sickness then wham, Subway gives her food poisoning. Nausea, vomiting, cramps. Exactly the thing chemotherapy patients use medical marijuana for. A phone call to her doctor gives us the typical advice, drink lots of fluids. So, shes now lying on the floor moaning in severe pain. She says she feels like she's dying. (A typical normal food poisoning scenario.) Still none of the warning signs requiring hospitalization. Well I suggest medical marijuana, she cries, she has a piss test coming up in less than a week (remember frequent checkups cause she's pregnant). Well we visit the doctor & she prescribes COMPAZINE. 25mg doses every 8 hours. Now this is the very dangerous type of tranquilizer Jack Herer talks about in the Emperor (Used to cure marijuana smoking). The label warned that the main side effect is permanent brain damage manifested in many different forms including, parkinson (like) disease, permanent shakes, palsies, facial twitches, ticks, involuntary tongue movements (like sticking it out). Due to these side effects this tranquilizer label recommended against using Compazine if possible. The label only recommended Compazine as a last resort due to the side effects (brain damage). They recommended using safer tranquilizers like valium if possible. And if used they recommended the trying lowest dosage first (5mg from memory). Compazine was only to be used for psychotic mental patients where benefits out way the risks. (If you don't believe me look compazine up in any old PDR). But our pharmacist & doctor both assured us that Compazine is what pregnant women are given for nausea. A statement I'm sure is true. I think its time the medical community gets a clue, yup marijuana might not be 100% safe but it sure beats the hell out of "zine" drugs when it comes to safety. So, now my wife has gone from vomiting & pain to a vegetable who just lies on the couch and watches TV. No more vomiting though! This is a sick fucking world we live in! ------------------------------------------------------------------- --- * Origin: COBRUS - Usenet-to-Fidonet Distribution System (1:2613/335.0)