A Washington State University-led study found that THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, is present in the breast milk of mothers who use cannabis. The study revealed that the amount of THC in the milk was low and varied in concentration. While many breastfeeding mothers use cannabis therapeutically, there is no conclusive evidence on whether this is safe or harmful for infants.
Researchers emphasized the need for substantial and rigorous studies to understand the impact of cannabinoids on breastfeeding infants. When breastfeeding mothers in a recent study used cannabis, its psychoactive component THC appeared in their breast milk. The Washington State University -led research also found that, unlike alcohol, THC did not have a consistent peak and decline time when detected in the milk.
Importantly, the researchers discovered that the amount of THC they detected in milk was low – they estimated that infants received an average of 0.07 mg of THC per day. For comparison, a common low-dose edible contains 2 mg of THC.
The research team stressed that it is unknown whether this amount has any impact on the infant. “Breastfeeding parents need to be aware that if they use cannabis, their infants are likely consuming cannabinoids via the milk they produce, and we do not know whether this has any effect on the developing infant,” said Courtney Meehan, a WSU biological anthropologist who led the project and is the study’s corresponding author. Persistence of Cannabinoids.
