Cannabis Exposes Breastfeeding Infants to Chemicals

A Washington State University study found volatile organic compounds in infant urine rose after mothers used cannabis.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Babies

Isometric editorial illustration of a row of clear glass sample vials holding pale liquid beside a small centrifuge tube on a slate surface, evoking laboratory testing of infant exposure. — Washington State University researchers found volatile organic compounds in infant urine rose after breastfeeding mothers used cannabis, in a study of women in Washington and Oregon. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Researchers at Washington State University found that maternal cannabis use exposes breastfeeding infants to volatile organic compounds. The study detected 24 VOC metabolites in infant urine samples, with concentrations higher after cannabis use than at baseline.

Why it matters

Many mothers use cannabis in place of other pharmaceutical drugs because they view it as safer. The findings add evidence about chemical exposure that infants may receive through breast milk during lactation.

Researchers detected 24 VOC metabolites across the urine samples, and all infants had at least one sample with a detectable concentration. Concentrations were higher following cannabis use than at baseline, though the health consequences of these exposures remain unestablished.

The players

Washington State University

A public research university in Pullman, Washington, whose researchers conducted the study.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The federal public health agency that analyzed the stored milk and urine samples for the study.

The details

The study enrolled breastfeeding women in Washington and Oregon who reported smoking or vaping cannabis more than once per week. Mothers collected milk and infant urine samples, beginning with a baseline sample 12 hours after abstaining, then at intervals after regular cannabis use. Many volatile organic compounds are human-made chemicals found in paint, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and pesticides.

A couple of years before the study, researchers surveyed women using cannabis during lactation.
November 7, 2026: The study findings were published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Health Landscape

The study applies CDC laboratory analysis to a question of infant exposure during lactation, extending biomonitoring methods to a population with growing cannabis use. It adds to research on how maternal substance use may shape the chemical environment of breastfed infants.

Breastfeeding parents who use cannabis may want to discuss exposure questions with their pediatrician, since the study detected chemical compounds in infant urine after maternal use. The findings do not establish a health outcome, so the practical takeaway is to raise the question with a healthcare provider rather than change care on the basis of this study alone.

The takeaway

Parents who breastfeed and use cannabis should talk with a healthcare provider about the new findings on infant exposure. The study identifies exposure but does not yet show what health effects follow, so it is best treated as a question to raise rather than a settled conclusion.