Research on pot and sperm quality, gene expression, and child development.
July 28, 2022
KEY POINTS
- Paternal consumption of marijuana prior to conception has been found in rodent studies to alter offspring brain development.
- Children whose fathers consumed marijuana during their partner's pregnancy may be at higher risk of psychotic symptoms.
- Pot consumption can trigger epigenetic changes in gene expression, which fathers can pass along to their children.
- Not all human studies of pot's effects on male fertility are consistent. A dose-dependent relationship between pot and male fertility may exist.
Accumulating evidence suggests that a man’s lifetime cannabis consumption can influence his fertility as well as the health and development of his future children. While occasional use may not have terrible consequences, prospective fathers (and their partners) should be mindful of how marijuana use, especially in the months leading up to conception, can affect sperm—and the expression of genes those sperm pass on to offspring.