Chair: Kembra Howdeshell, NIEHS
Co-Chair: Alison Holloway, McMaster University, Canada

Primary Endorser: Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Specialty Section


Endorser(s): Clinical and Translational Toxicology Specialty Section


Endorser(s): Women in Toxicology Special Interest Group

Cannabis is one of the most used recreational drugs worldwide, with increasing use among young people (15–30 years old), as well as women during pregnancy to ease nausea. Studies in humans and animals have demonstrated that the predominant psychoactive constituent of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is lipophilic, allowing for potential fetal and neonatal exposure via placental and lactational transfer, respectively. As cannabis and its cannabinoid constituents (e.g., THC and cannabidiol [CBD]) are legalized across Canada and within individual states in the United States, data on use during pregnancy and potential effects on fertility and development are becoming more widely available. This Symposium is composed of speakers with expertise spanning from epidemiological to translational bench work that will provide an overview of some cutting-edge research on cannabis use and the impact on fertility, breastfeeding, and development. The session will begin with a presentation on the prevalence of cannabis use during pregnancy and the neurodevelopmental outcomes observed in children exposed perinatally. The second speaker will present on the effect of cannabis use on the composition of breastmilk in humans and complementary studies conducted in a murine epithelial cell line exposed to either THC or CBD. The third speaker will discuss a unique perspective regarding the effect of CBD and its main metabolites on Sertoli cells from experiments using human-derived and mouse cell lines. The fourth speaker will present research using the zebrafish model to evaluate the developmental effects of early life exposure to minor cannabinoids in comparison to the effects of THC and CBD. The fifth and final presenter will briefly describe an evidence map of the published literature evaluating the effects of CBD on reproduction and development before presenting a recently published Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development–compliant reproductive toxicity study on CBD isolate in rats. The utility of such guideline studies in the overall safety and risk assessment for these products will be discussed.