I saw an article I think last week about a law being passed where women who used drugs during pregnancy could be charged for child neglect. Then I wake up and see this and have conflicting feelings.

I have a sister that was born at 27 weeks addicted to meth and was also left alone at the hospital and my mom finalized her adoption at 18 months. The first year of her life was a fight. She is half deaf, delayed and had trouble learning to do things like walk and talk. So I have first hand seen the affect drug use can have on a baby and I agree that when you make the choice to stay pregnant you’re committing to grow another human being and it’s your responsibility to make sure to take care of your body because what you do in your pregnancy can affect that child’s entire life. My sister is 16 and still suffering some of the consequences of her mothers drug use during pregnancy. It’s just 9 months for you but you’re forming someone else’s body in which they’ll live their entire life.

But addiction is addiction and getting pregnant doesn’t just magically cure addiction. if this is going to be a thing I want drug rehabilitation programs. If you see a doctor to confirm you’re pregnant they should do drug tests and if anything pops up they should direct you to programs that will help you get clean. If you never see a doctor and just birth a baby one day addicted to drugs, you should be offered a program first before they can just take your baby from you. Wtf does taking the baby away accomplish? These women are probably already at an all time low in their lives... so take their baby and put them in jail? I feel just locking women up for child neglect won’t do anything. It won’t solve the problem. Going to jail doesn’t automatically make you not an addict. Really it will probably lead to women avoiding the hospital and giving birth wherever else they can and leaving babies in dumpsters.

It’s just stupid to me and I’m interested to hear what others have to say.