Proposed Bill To Require Pot Shops, Marijuana Dispensaries To Display Warnings To Pregnant Women

DENVER (CBS4)- Lawmakers will continue to debate a proposal that would require retail pot shops and medical marijuana dispensaries to post a warning to pregnant women about the potential risks of marijuana.

The bill is in its third and final reading in the the state House before it heads to the Senate.

An earlier version of the bill was rejected amid disagreement over how to describe the risk marijuana poses to unborn and nursing children. The version approved Monday directs state health authorities to come up with warnings. The exact language of the signs hasn't been determined.

The bill had bipartisan support but some opposition. Some wondered whether the requirement would violate the voters' direction to regulate marijuana like alcohol. Although liquor products must include warnings for pregnant women, liquor stores aren't required to post warnings in Colorado.

RELATED STORIES: Marijuana Legalization Story Archive

Recreational pot sold in Colorado already comes with warnings for pregnant women. Among other things, the labels say, "There may be additional health risks associated with the consumption of this product for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning on becoming pregnant."

But label warnings aren't required for medical marijuana products.

A report issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment earlier this year noted that marijuana's psychoactive ingredient, THC, is passed to children through the placenta and breast milk. But the doctors who compiled the survey of existing research also noted that the health consequences of that THC exposure aren't fully understood.

An American Academy of Pediatrics report in 2013 listed marijuana among the most common drugs involved in prenatal exposure that may pose important health risks, including possible behavior and attention problems in childhood.

LINK: House Bill 1298