The Effects of Alcohol and Cannabinoid Exposure on Development

Dear Colleagues, 

While it is well known that prenatal alcohol exposure can lead to a wide range of alterations in brain and behavioral development, much less is known about the potential consequences of developmental cannabinoid exposure. Cannabis is the most commonly consumed illicit drug among pregnant people, with use rates estimated between 3–10%. These use rates are due to several reasons, including (but not limited to) inconsistent conclusions in cannabinoid research, the assumed safety of cannabis during pregnancy, and rates of unplanned pregnancies (50%). Moreover, alcohol and cannabis are commonly consumed together among people of child-bearing age, including among those who are pregnant. Given that the endocannabinoid system plays a pivotal role in development, that early cannabinoid exposure may alter this system’s functionality, and that alcohol interacts with the endocannabinoid system, combined exposure may exacerbate the long-term effects of prenatal alcohol exposure alone. Yet, we know very little about how combined exposure to alcohol and cannabinoids during developmental periods might interact. In this Special Issue, we welcome papers investigating “The Effects of Alcohol and Cannabinoid Exposure on Development”; this is a critical topic with important implications in public health domains and policy decisions.

Dr. Kristen R. Breit
Guest Editor

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• alcohol
• cannabinoid
• development
• prenatal
• perinatal
• adolescence
• behavior
• neuropathology
• clinical
• preclinical