A new survey shows that Americans think marijuana is less dangerous for pregnant women than drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes.
YouGov’s study comes at a time when pregnancy risks are being heightened after a Trump administration controversial report linked the use of acetaminophen – commonly known under the brand name Tylenol – to an increased risk for autism in children.
However, when it comes to the use of other substances, 66 percent said marijuana during pregnancy poses a high health risk. A further 20 percent said the risk is “moderate” while 8 percent thought there was no risk.
A total of 94 per cent of Americans believe that smoking is unsafe during pregnancy. 84 percent said the risk was high.
In the case of alcohol, 96% said that drinking during pregnancy is either high-risk or moderate-risk.
YouGov conducted interviews with 22667 U.S. adult respondents, using two different 2025 polls between September 22-26 and 23-25. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.
Cannabis use during pregnancy is a topic that has been studied and debated for years. Although many experts agree that women should not consume marijuana while pregnant, some argue that in some instances the benefits could offset any harms.
In any event, marijuana advocates are pushing back on the narrative that legalization increases risks for pregnant women who use cannabis. They argue that creating regulatory model of cannabis can also be a means to educate vulnerable groups about possible risks.
This past October, two federally funded reports published by the American Medical Association examined issues of cannabis and pregnancy. In October, two federally funded reports published by the American Medical Association examined issues of cannabis during pregnancy.
In late 2018, a report by an organization that advocates reproductive rights found that prosecutions related to pregnancy had reached a record high following the Supreme Court ruling in 2022 that ended abortion rights nationwide. By far the most common criminal allegation facing pregnant people was that they used marijuana or other drugs during their pregnancies.
In Oklahoma, local news in 2022 began reporting that prosecutors there were targeting pregnant women for using medical marijuana, resulting in felony child neglect charges being filed against 26 mothers. Oklahoma has a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the offense.
In 2023, NIDA Director Nora Volkow blasted the criminalization of drug use by pregnant people and new parents, arguing that the resulting stigmatization is harming families and contributing to the overdose crisis.
She said families should be supported, and not criminalized.
Then in July of last year, a state court ruled that people cannot be prosecuted for child neglect for legally using medical marijuana while pregnant.