What is drug abuse? Drug abuse is a pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependant, mean using a drug that is not prescribed to you. Abuse of drugs or alcohol by parents and other caregivers can have negative effects on the health, safety, and well-being of children. People tend to try drugs once and then again and that’s how they become addicted. People that are strained out on drugs usually need a lot of help. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act requires states to have policies and procedures in place to establish a plan of safe care for newborns identified as being affected by illegal substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure. People think that drug abuse by pregnant women should be considered as child abuse because the women using drugs are considered drug addicts that get pregnant and not pregnant women who decide to do drugs. They don’t think that they want or intend to hurt their future child. The National Association for Families and Addiction Research and Education explains that an addiction is a chronic relapsing disease that cannot be easily overcome in the few months after a woman recognizes that she is pregnant. They think that pregnant women with addiction problems need treatment, not jail.
I think that drug abuse by pregnant women should be considered child abuse because you are techniqually harming the child. As you are pregnant there are things that you can and can not do, in order for your child to stay safe. I think a drug abuser should be charged with attempted murder and delivery of drugs to a minor. Once the substances enters your body and into the womb it can causes trama to the baby and he/or she to eventually have a disease, such as down syndrome or mental retardation. It can also cause death and problems to the mother of the fetus. Substance abuse during pregnancy may harm the fetus and can cause