Muristek
To the Editor Although the suggested rise in prevalence of cannabis use in the recent Research Letter is potentially important, we are concerned about the way the data seem to have been obtained. The authors describe using data from “all…pregnant women screened for prenatal cannabis use via a universal urine toxicology test.” However, while using a verbal instrument or questionnaire such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse Quick Screen or the 4Ps (Pregnancy, Past, Partner, Parents) early in pregnancy to screen all patients for substance use is recommended, universal toxicology testing of biological samples is not recommended as part of prenatal care by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Moreover, a core tenet of obstetrical ethics is that pregnancy should not attenuate a person’s right to choose which tests or procedures to undergo, especially when such testing is not part of recommended care and the results may have negative consequences for patients and families.
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