The Effects and Mechanisms of Maternal Cannabis Smoke Exposure on the Developing Male and Female Rat Brain.

Cannabis sativa has gained popularity and has softened the perspective of many Canadians towards its potential health risks since its' Legalization of in 2018. This shift has been noted amongst pregnant mothers, who view cannabis as a "natural substance" and consider its use during pregnancy to be benign. The developing fetus is exceptionally sensitive to cannabinoids, endogenous and exogenous alike because of the role the body's endocannabinoid system plays in regulating synaptic architecture in the brain. Pharmacokinetic (PK), behavioural and physiological data is limited for in vivo models of maternal cannabis exposure, with limited data quantifying phytocannabinoid levels and effects in offspring. The purpose of my PhD research is to quantify cannabinoid exposure and any associated developmental risk in a rat model to add to the growing body of knowledge investigation long-term effects of exposure in this legalized generation.