Opinion: Pregnant people with substance use disorders need treatment, not criminalization

Pregnant people with substance use disorders should be encouraged to get the care and support they need without fear of going to jail or losing their children.

Though it may be hard for many to fathom, even pregnant people and new parents can have active substance use disorders. They need support, not criminalization.

The addiction and overdose crisis, which now claims more than 100,000 lives a year, shows little sign of abating, and emerging data highlight its startling impact on pregnant people: Overdose is now a leading cause of death during or shortly after pregnancy.

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