4/20 News: Women outpace men with cannabis use

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) --  Cannabis use among women in the U.S. is on the rise. There's an overall growing acceptance of cannabis as a potential medicine, according to Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He says after years of many women feeling their health issues were being overlooked, he says they're exploring alternative means to help with things like chronic pain, sleep, and mood.

"They've tried other things and they haven't worked or they haven't worked as well or they've had a lot of side effects," Gupta says.

An annual report that monitors substance use says in 2023, more than 44% of young adult women reported using cannabis in the previous 12 months. For early midlife women, there was also a significant increase, with nearly 18% using it in the previous 30 days.

A study by the National Institutes fo Health also says marijuana is the most commonly used drug during pregnancy in America. This, despite CDC warnings that it shouldn't be used by those pregnant or breastfeeding due to potential health risks like low birth weight, preterm labor and stillbirth.

"We can't say for sure what is actually the cause, what is the effect of those sorts of problems, and what is the risk of having untreated depression and anxiety during pregnancy. The challenge, Mandy, is that unless it is regulated in a way that allows people to study it. Then the scientists may never be able to get the data that people understandably want to prove that it works and that it is safe," Gupta says.

Frequent or high-potency sue is linked to higher risks of things like psychosis, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and mood swings. It can also cause hormone fluctuations.

To watch Dr Gupta's specials on women & weed, click below:

Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Weed 8: Women & Weed | CNN