Meth Baby

My grandmother is watching Nancy Grace (kinda like a lawyer/debate show) and one of the stories was about a mom from Nebraska that had a baby born addicted to Meth. And she'll face NO charges because there are no laws for suchs actions in Nebraska! This made me really angry. It wasn't the poor baby's fault yet the mother is not going to face anything for her actions.

What are the laws in your state? Do you think its fair and ethical to drug test newborns and press charges if illegal substances are found? Do you think parents should be known about the drug testing or have to sign a waiver to have to done and such?

They dont have to test the baby, they can just test its poop, and they should in all states!

I love Nancy Grace, I watch her show every night!! I think women who give birth to a baby that has drugs in its system shouldn't be able to have the baby in their custody until mom is clean. I know here in IL they drug test all of the babies and DCFS does get involved if your baby is born with drugs in its system.

Quoting Nicole Renee:“ My grandmother is watching Nancy Grace (kinda like a lawyer/debate show) and one of the stories was about ... [snip!] ... are found? Do you think parents should be known about the drug testing or have to sign a waiver to have to done and such?”

I would be PISSED if they drug tested ANY of my kids. I never did drugs in my life. I shouldnt have to be tested and neither should my kids just because of the few bad parents out there. If the mother has a history of drug use yes but forcing everyone to get tested for drugs because of them is just plain wrong.

i agree i think they should drug test no matter what... just bc the baby doesnt show any signs doesnt mean the mother didnt do drugs... and i think if u are found with drugs in ur system then u should go to jail... that is like driving drunk with ur baby in the car... just my opion

Quoting Cowgirl47429:“ I would be PISSED if they drug tested ANY of my kids. I never did drugs in my life. I shouldnt have ... [snip!] ... If the mother has a history of drug use yes but forcing everyone to get tested for drugs because of them is just plain wrong.”

I totally agree.

Quoting Cowgirl47429:“ I would be PISSED if they drug tested ANY of my kids. I never did drugs in my life. I shouldnt have ... [snip!] ... If the mother has a history of drug use yes but forcing everyone to get tested for drugs because of them is just plain wrong.”

Then the mother could lie and say she's never done drugs. A majority of the time, if they didn't test, they wouldn't know the difference.

I think it's fine to test the baby's meconium for any substances that are cause for alarm. Children should not be in custody of their parents if their parents are still using, and it's the first step to preventing that from happening.

Quoting Ben & Miley's Mommy:“ i agree i think they should drug test no matter what... just bc the baby doesnt show any signs doesnt ... [snip!] ... found with drugs in ur system then u should go to jail... that is like driving drunk with ur baby in the car... just my opion”

Depending on circumstances, some women do go to jail for Child Abuse

i'm kind of inbetween. I definitely think that mothers with a history should definitely be tested and the child should have to be in some sort of protective custody until the mother can prove she's clean and on the right road. But, then again, what if it was a first time user that became addicted? I'm clean and I don't use drugs. There would be no reason to test me or my future child for drugs but if it was a law that could save one child because all children were tested and as long as it wasn't going to be a painful test, I guess I wouldn't mind.

playing devils advocate... what about alcohol. It is illegal in the service industry to refuse alcohol to a pregnant woman... yes drugs are illegal, but where do you draw the line?

here if the doc has suspisions that the mother is doing drugs,they will test the babyor mother after mother gives birth if they find drugs in the system the baby is taken away, i have seen it done numerous amounts of times

Quoting march mommy!:“ playing devils advocate... what about alcohol. It is illegal in the service industry to refuse alcohol to a pregnant woman... yes drugs are illegal, but where do you draw the line?”

That is a tough one because alcohol is technically legal. Since alcohol has physical symptoms when a child is suffering from its affects, a doctor could possibly do something then. Not sure if the mother could be put in jail or if their child could be taken away because its a legal substance. Good question though!

  I am torn on this issue.  On one hand, it seems that anything that the government can do to lower the rate of infants born with a drug addiction would be great...on the other hand, where do the rights of an unborn child begin and the rights of the expectant mother end?

 I guess one could argue that the rights of the unborn child should supercede those of the expectant mother (she having made the decision to procreate, thus giving up some of her rights in favor of giving more rights to the child/fetus).  

On the other side, the argument would be that a woman has the right to not be searched without just cause or warrant.  Also, where does dr/patient privelege end?  Would a positive result on the drug screen of a pregnant woman be the stopping point?

On a personal level, when Adison was in the picu, I heard a baby crying constantly, and I had asked one of our nurses about the baby.  She said that the very distinct cry was that of an "abuse baby," ie: born addicted.  It was the saddest, and most desperate cry I have heard from any baby.  That is something from our picu days that I know I will not ever forget.  After hearing that, I just wish there was some way that it would never happen to another baby. 

Personally, I would allow a drug screen to be done on me and any children that I have in the future.  I do not use street drugs, and I think it would be a wonderful thing if women would volunteer to allow this.  Unfortunately, it is most likely that the only women who would volunteer such information/testing would NOT be the drug abusers.  I don't think there is any real "right" answer to this problem....

I would have absolutely no problem with them drug testing me or my babies. And yes, it should be mandatory! I'm not quilty of doing drugs at all, so why should I care? And if just a few babies are placed in a better situation because of the testing it would be worth it, imo. Too many people can lie about their past and present, of course.

Quoting Cowgirl47429:“ I would be PISSED if they drug tested ANY of my kids. I never did drugs in my life. I shouldnt have ... [snip!] ... If the mother has a history of drug use yes but forcing everyone to get tested for drugs because of them is just plain wrong.”

I sooo disagree...you know how long a person can do drugs without ever getting caught? therefore having no history of drug abuse? years and years...then the poor child suffers being born to a drug addicted mother...if you don't do drugs then don't worry ya know? I would make that sacrifice to be drug tested because it would be catching alot of women that do them..