note! The number of people using cannabis among this type of AIDS patient is on the rise!

Red Maple Bay APP: The use of cannabis by people living with HIV in the United States during pregnancy and postpartum has increased over time, which may be related to the legalization of medical marijuana.

According to a cohort study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, in states where medical marijuana is legalized, the use of marijuana by AIDS patients during pregnancy and postpartum increases over time.

The study also found that the proportion of opioid and alcohol use during pregnancy was still high, but the proportion did not change much.

The researchers collected data on 2926 pregnancies from 2310 AIDS patients who participated in the Antiviral Surveillance (SMARTT) study, with an average age of 28.8 years.

The number of people who used cannabis during pregnancy increased from 7.1% in 2007-2008 to 11.7% in 2018-2019, with an overall prevalence rate of 9.3%. In addition, the prevalence rate reached a peak of 13.3% in 2013.

The prevalence of opioid and alcohol use during pregnancy remained relatively stable, with the prevalence of opioid abuse falling from 5.8% in the first study (2007-2008) to 3.9% during the second study (2018-2019), and alcohol use only decreasing from 8.6% to 8.2% over the same period.

During the study period (2007-2019), the prevalence of both opioids and alcohol was high, with opioid use peaking at 8.7% in 2012 and alcohol use peaking at 11.8% in 2013. Co-use of alcohol and cannabis was generally low and stable, rising from 1.8 percent to 2.8 percent during the study period and peaking at 5.2 percent in 2014.

Overall, postpartum drug abuse is more prevalent, with an average use rate of 44.4 per cent of alcohol, an average of 13.6 per cent of cannabis use and an average of 10.0 per cent of simultaneous use of alcohol and cannabis.

The increase in the prevalence of postpartum cannabis use was even more pronounced, rising from 10.2 per cent to 23.7 per cent. Postpartum drinking also increased from 36.2% in 2007-2008 to 53.8% in 2012, but fell back to 42.1% in 2018-2019. The incidence of postpartum alcohol consumption and cannabis use was generally low, but also rose from 6.7 percent to 15.8 percent during the study period.

Drug abuse is generally most common in the first trimester of pregnancy and after childbirth. These data suggest that the prevalence of substance abuse decreases as pregnancy progresses, possibly due to nausea or reduced awareness of pregnancy.

"Given the impact of substance abuse on maternal and child health, the increased use of cannabis in these HIV-carrying and postpartum populations suggests the need for increased clinical attention," the study authors said.

The study authors said the adjusted average risk of cannabis use increased by 7% per year (95% CI, 3%-10%) during pregnancy, 11% per year postpartum (95% CI, 7%-16%), and the average risk of simultaneous use of alcohol and marijuana in the postpartum period increased by 10% per year (95% CI, 5%-15%).

The researchers also found that the use of marijuana was linked to the legalization of medical marijuana. "People living in states where medical marijuana is legalized have higher rates of cannabis use, and it's important to understand the impact of the opioid crisis and evolution of cannabis laws and policies on pregnant and postpartum AIDS patients." The study authors said. "The current opioid epidemic, along with the legalization of cannabis, is a possible factor in the rising prevalence of drug abuse in pregnant and postpartum AIDS patients."