Drug Abuse and Conduct Disorder Linked to Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy

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Abstract
Researchers at Columbia University in New York City have found new evidence that children whose mothers smoke during pregnancy are at much greater risk than other children for drug abuse and conduct disorder. The findings reinforce those of other studies spanning more than 25 years that have shown similar problems associated with prenatal exposure to smoke in children ranging from toddlers through teens. The study also revealed marked gender differences, with girls at significantly increased risk for drug abuse and boys at significantly increased risk for conduct disorder. The investigators interviewed 147 mother­child pairs 3 times over 10 years, with the children ranging from ages 6 to 23 at the start of the study. Both mothers and children were interviewed on entry into the study, again 2 years after the initial interview, and, finally, about 10 years after the initial interview. Because the researchers followed the children through either adolescence or young adulthood­something few studies have done before­they were able to collect data about whether and when the children began to abuse drugs, says Dr. Myrna Weissman, the study's principal investigator.

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