Gestational exposure to teratogenic agents prevents normal embryonic development by either disrupting normal gene expression, as with thalidomide, or through tissue damage caused by acute toxicity, as with fetal alcohol syndrome. Children who are born with congenital defects caused by drugs and alcohol still possesses a normal genome and are able to produce developmentally normal offspring. That is because during the epigenome is reset during embryonic development. There are some alterations that are resistant to this reset but there is no evidence that would suggest marijuana related alterations are hereditary.
In fact, the data cited makes it fairly obvious that these problems have a social cause or involve hereditary characteristics that cause antisocial behavior rather than as a result of epigenome alterations caused by antisocial behavior. It is no surprise that teenagers who display extreme antisocial behaviour tend to become adults who display extreme antisocial behaviour. Any children raised by these unstable people have bad outcomes because they are in a situation that doesn’t really have a happy ending.
Now, if they can produce data that demonstrates an adverse impact on the grandchildren of high functioning heavy marijuana users then there might be something to this. But I wouldn’t hold my breath. Marijuana use isn’t new and yet the most important determinant on childhood outcomes remains parental income not parental drug use. The problem is nurture not nature and it is not even a close call.
Wow, someone making actual sense here.