Alisha Nelson serves as executive director of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation.
With cannabisnow legal in Ohio, ensuring people have accurate information about its impacts is more important than ever. Access
is no longer the central issue. Education is.
As cannabis becomes more widely used and socially accepted, Ohioans deserve clear, science-based information that helps them make informed decisions and understand the risks that can accompany its use.
A May polling suggests that need is becoming more urgent, as cannabis use rises while perceptions of risk continue to decline, especially around youth use and use during pregnancy.
Forty-one percent of Ohioans report currently using cannabis, up from 35% in 2024. More than two-thirds say cannabis has become more socially acceptable since legalization.
Those who are pregnant or hoping to become pregnant may hear claims that cannabis can help with nausea, stress or sleep, without also hearing clear information about possible risks. Young people may hear that it is harmless simply because it is legal for adults.
More Ohioans think it is OK for pregnant women to smoke
That is why our state leaders had the wisdom in the most recent state budget to set aside funding for a statewide public education campaign focused on cannabis risks. The goal is straightforward. We must provide clear, science-based information that helps Ohioans make informed decisions for themselves and their families.
The first phase will focus on pregnancy and maternal health. That focus is urgent. Among surveyed women who are pregnant or hope to become pregnant, 51% report using cannabis.
Nineteen percent of Ohioans now say cannabis use during pregnancy is acceptable, up from 14% in 2024. Among women who are pregnant or planning pregnancy, that figure rises to 26%.
These numbers tell us where education, support and honest conversations are needed most.
Women deserve clear information from trusted voices and support that is practical and compassionate. They deserve to feel comfortable asking healthcare providers questions about cannabis use, pregnancy, nausea, anxiety, sleep and safer alternatives.
We are in the fight
Youth prevention is just as essential.
A teenager’s brain is still developing, especially in areas tied to judgment, memory, focus and emotions. When young people are exposed to THC during those years, the risks are different than they are for adults. We cannot wait until a young person is already struggling before we decide that prevention matters.
This campaign is exactly the kind of work the OneOhio Recovery Foundation was created to support. The Foundation’s mission is to prevent substance misuse, promote recovery and build resilient communities. Across all 88 counties, we work with the people and organizations fighting addiction on the front lines of this battle, including prevention coalitions, treatment providers, recovery leaders, public health professionals, faith communities, families and advocates.
Our partners know prevention cannot be an afterthought. It must begin early, be rooted in facts and be delivered by trusted voices in the communities where people live, work, worship and raise their families.
This campaign is not about relitigating legalization.
Adult-use cannabis is legal in Ohio. But that does not mean we should ignore the risks for young people or for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. It does not mean we should allow misinformation or casual assumptions to fill the space where public education belongs.
As cannabis becomes more available and socially accepted, public education becomes more essential.
Ohio families deserve clear information from trusted voices. Young people deserve protection. Women deserve support. And every Ohioan deserves the chance to make informed decisions that safeguard their health, their future and their community.
Alisha Nelson serves as executive director of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation, overseeing the organization's work to distribute opioid settlement resources in support of prevention, treatment and recovery services across the state. Her leadership is focused on helping communities build stronger systems of care for individuals and families impacted by behavioral health challenges.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Marijuana while pregnant? A shocking number of Ohioans think it is OK | Opinion
