...Jessica Hogan We will explore the following: 1. Source and history of cocaine: Cocaine was first introduced in the early ninth century. It comes from the coca plant. Cocaine is both a stimulant and a suppressant, this means that you have a lot of happiness and a feeling of energy when you take the drug. It is said to be like a “stronger version of coffee.” It was found in the Andes Mountains of South America. At first cocaine was thought to have a lot of medical advantages, and treat certain diseases. (http://casapalmera.com/the-history-of-cocaine/) 2. Effects and chemical characteristics of the substance: Cocaine causes a euphoric feeling. It provides the user with lots of energy and awakens the brain making the user feel very alert. It brings up your mood and makes you feel like you are on the top of the world. Its molecular formula is C17H21NO4. (http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.10194104.html) (http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/cocaine-use-and-its-effects) 3. Routes of administration Cocaine is typical administrated in three way. According to the statistics of the article “Cocaine: patterns of use, route of administration, and severity of dependence,” the results were that 40% of people prefer smoking the drug, 32% prefer intranasal, and 24% prefer injecting after a seven of 150 users was taken. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7921717) 4. Introduction of "Crack" and its relationship with race ...
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...weed, pot or grass): 2 Cocaine: 2 Alcoholism 3 LAW AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE MOTHERS 4 THEORIES OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE 6 Biological Theories 6 Genetic Factors 6 Metabolic Imbalance 7 THEORECTICAL PERSPECTIVE 8 MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT 10 SOLUTION TO PROBLEM 11 EXPECTED RESULTS/TIMEFRAME 12 CONCLUSION 13 REFERENCES 14 PICTURES ILLUSTRATING PREGNANT SUBSTANCE ABUSE WOMEN AND FETUS 15 INTRODUCTION Social problems exist at the door step of every community it has been in existence decades ago and still lives on today. Social problems can be defined as an issue that relates to society’s perception of an individual’s personal life and their behaviour is considered to be out of the norm. Substance abuse has vast becoming an epidemic in today’s society and it is considered as a social problem. Substance abuse is one thing but to see pregnant women abusing these endangering substances is another issue. People use drugs for many different reasons but for a pregnant woman to use drugs she may be mentally ill or depressed. Substance abuse may not have a serious or long-lasting effect on you but the same is not always true for a foetus. Mothers that abuse substances give birth to "drug babies." These children have serious developmental problems. Researches show that using substances legal or illegal during pregnancy has a direct impact on the foetus, whether smoking, consumption of alcohol, or ingesting caffeine. If you use marijuana or cocaine, your foetus also feels...
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...treatment vs. punishment. Should the pregnant mother who engages in substance abuse be viewed as a criminal or as someone suffering from an illness requiring appropriate treatment? This diversity of dramatically different responses illustrates the failure to establish a uniform policy for the management of this problem. The issue of substance abuse is one that has negatively plagued society. The complexities surrounding addiction are not easily overcome. These complexities are even more defined in cases of substance abuse by pregnant women, including legal addictive substances such as nicotine and alcohol. This issue has been pushed to the forefront of the public consciousness over the course of the past 30 years. Murphy and Rosenbaum 1999, describe maternal prenatal substance abuse as “chronic use of alcohol and/or other drugs by pregnant women”. It is my belief that the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs during pregnancy is still child endangerment .All these tetatogen’s can kill your baby or cause serious problems for them with the development of cognitive, physical, social, and emotional abilities. It is unfair to the child to have no control over what has caused them problems with development as a result of their mother’s teratogen use; therefore there should be consequences as a result of their harmful decisions. It is understood that a women has the right to do with her body what she wants and that some that are pregnant: drink, smoke, or use illegal...
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...State Responses to Substance Abuse Among Pregnant Women Developmental Psychology For decades, American citizens and lawmakers alike have been arguing over the controversial issue of women's prenatal substance abuse. Considering that the public opinion for this matter varies across the nation, each state has their own set of laws on how to deal with the issue. Some states have made drug treatment more readily available for pregnant women with a history of drug abuse, while others have attempted to criminalize prenatal drug-use or use it as grounds to end custodial rights. “For many lawmakers, the issue comes downs to the difficult task of balancing a woman’s right to bodily integrity with society’s interest in ensuring healthy pregnancies, and the question of whether punitive approaches will foster - or hinder - health outcomes for women and children.” This report covers both the negative and positive approaches of state intervention to alleviating prenatal substance abuse and the alarming statistics regarding the relationship between prenatal drug-use and race. For advocates of women’s reproductive rights, they ask the question: “Can the state ever be justified in regulating a pregnant woman’s behavior in the interest of protecting her fetus and whether such policies potentially undermine the legality of abortion?” To date, no state has yet enacted a law that criminalizes drug-use during pregnancy. Nevertheless, hundreds of women have been arrested and charged with various...
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...drugs may damage organs that are still developing, such as the eyes, as well as the nervous system. Continuing drug use also increases the risk of miscarriage and premature delivery. But the greatest danger drugs pose at this stage is their potential to interfere with normal growth “low-birth weight babies require special care and run a much higher risk of severe health problems or even death”. [1] Use of illicit drugs like cocaine and opioids during pregnancy can cause complications and serious problems in the developing fetus and the newborn. Growth of fetus is likely to be inadequate and premature birth defects are more common. Cocaine crosses the placenta, constricts the blood vessels reducing blood flow to the fetus. The reduced blood and oxygen supply to the fetus slows the growth of bones and intestine. Use of cocaine can also cause complications during pregnancy. Among women who use cocaine throughout pregnancy, 31% have preterm delivery and 15% have premature detachment of placenta. The chances of miscarriage also increase. Drugs that a pregnant woman takes can affect the fetus in several ways. They can act directly on the fetus causing damage or abnormal development leading to birth defects or death. They can also alter the function of the placenta usually by constricting blood vessels and reducing the blood supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus from the mother and thus resulting in a baby that is underweight and underdeveloped. Moreover they can cause the muscles...
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...Thesis Statement: Drug addicted pregnant women are being treated as criminals instead of women who suffers from a disease of addiction. The underlying issues of drug addicted pregnant women have been overlooked by society for many years. Society believes that these women should be thrown in jail and treated as criminals. Despite the fact that drug addiction has now been declared as an official disease by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Numerous studies have been made in regards to the dilemma that surrounds drug addicted pregnant women. The dilemma argues the point; do these women show any concern for their unborn child, or if their intent is to harm the child. Drug addiction by definition is a condition characterized by an overwhelming desire to continue taking a drug to which one has become habituated through repeated consumption because it produces a particular effect, usually an alteration of mental status. Addiction is usually accompanied by a compulsion to obtain the drug, a tendency to increase the dose, a psychological or physical dependence, and detrimental consequences for the individual and society (Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 2001). The underlying issues of drug addicted pregnant women have been examined by a number of authors who attempted to expose the truth behind why these women are reluctant to seek prenatal care. According to Carolyn S. Carter (2002), in her article she explored societal responses to prenatal drug abuse, including stigmatic...
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...Pregnant Women Should Be Prosecuted For Doing Drugs Birth Defects that occur because of street drugs being used during pregnancy is increasing every year. The most common drugs used by pregnant women are cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, which are easy bought and sold around the world. Some cases infants have even passed away or had birth defects such as growth defects, bad lungs, feeding problems, and may have an addiction problem. Tennessee is the only state to have a law prosecuting women who do drugs while pregnant, but noone has really tried to resolve this problem or for the numbers to decrease. Women are abusing infants before they are even born, abuse is a crime , and women should be charged ( Drug use and Pregnancy). During pregnancy at least 1 in every 20 pregnant women does street drugs during their pregnancy. Cocaine can increase the risk of miscarriage or cause placental abruptions, preterm birth and fetal death can occur , or the baby could be born with a smaller head and have growth restrictions. Injecting heroin can cause the baby to have an addiction to heroin, low blood sugar, internal bleeding, and death. Smoking marijuana could make the levels of carbon monoxide ride and increase the chance of low birth weight ( American...
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...| @maiasz | January 30, 2012 | 2 inShare.15 Jade Brookbank / Getty Images The question of how best to help babies who have been exposed to drugs in the womb — including prescription pain medications, antidepressants and illicit drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine — can be an emotionally charged issue. Bringing science to bear on the issue, the American Academy of Pediatrics has just updated its guidelines on treating these infants. The number of babies experiencing drug-related symptoms after birth has risen by 45% since 1995, according to data compiled by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The rise may be attributed in part to increased maternal drug misuse and addiction, as well as to greater legitimate use of medication to treat pain and depression. Further, more careful surveillance for symptoms associated with maternal drug use have turned up more affected babies. About 1% of pregnant women report recreational use of opioid painkillers like Oxycontin, according to the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health, a number that has stayed constant since 2003. The new treatment guidelines, appearing on Monday in the journal Pediatrics, recommend that pregnant women addicted to prescription pain relievers or heroin should be maintained on either methadone or buprenorphine (Suboxone, Subutex). These recommendations are in line with prior consensus documents from the National Institutes on Health and World Health Organization. MORE:...
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... Medications such as antibiotics, thalidomide, anti-seizure drugs, anti-psychotic drugs and antidepressants are very harmful for fetus development. Streptomycin is an antibiotic most commonly used to treat tuberculosis, was linked to causing hearing loss in children. According to about kids’ health website, thalidomide was discovered in the 1960s to treat morning sickness, when taken by pregnant women, it caused total or partial absence of the arms or legs in babies. Furthermore, anti-seizure medication have been linked to delayed development in infancy. Anti-psychotic drugs raise the risk of the baby developing heart problems. Lastly, anti-depressants in the third trimester of pregnancy can cause temporary jitteriness, excessive crying and eating difficulties in newborns. Antibiotics should be avoided during the sensitive stage of fetal development. Mothers should have a very thorough conversation with their physicians on effects of antibiotics, prescribed to them, on their babies. Recreational drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamines are very dangerous for pregnant women. Cocaine is linked to causing miscarriages, growth retardation, and behavior problems. Similarly, methamphetamines are linked to causing miscarriages and growth retardation. Recreational drugs should be avoided at all times during pregnancy. According to Belsky (2012), a huge collection of studies propose...
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...the relevant issues regarding whether or not a pregnant woman should be punished for exposing her fetus to risk. The argument about whether a pregnant woman who exposes her unborn child to illegal drugs during pregnancy should be punished and charged with a criminal act is a very difficult issue. The use of illegal drugs that are known to cause harm and are considered illegal for that reason, they are known to cause harm. As a healthcare administrator, I am concerned with the idea that punishing the pregnant mother may send a message to other women that are abusing drugs during their pregnancy that will frighten them into either foregoing the seeking of substance abuse treatment or some other act desperate measures that will lead them to resulting in an illegal type of abortion, which may cause more harm. There are so many known and unknown risks to the fetus during pregnancy, such as, the exposure to psychiatric medications taken by mothers with mental health issues that could also put the fetus at greater risk, as well as the consumption of fertility drugs and other forms of treatment. To assume that punishment should be automatic assumes a “conclusion that all children exposed prenatally to cocaine would be damaged irrevocably and that their mother’s selfish and irresponsible drug-taking behavior is to blame for a national health tragedy” (Paltrow, 1999). Yet even medical experts cannot conclude with certainty that using cocaine or any other illegal substance during any part...
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...Final Essay Assignment - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Who has the rights? Sheila Bird COR3100 Critical Thinking and Writing (Section 2) John F. Kennedy University Summer 2014 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Who Has The Rights? Who has the rights when an unborn child is involved, mother or child? Can an unborn child be protected from his/her mother? Fetal Alcohol Syndrome [FAS] raises these questions that so far, have not been addressed. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is considered to be the most serious consequence of a mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy and is considered the #1 cause of mental retardation in the United States, and it is one that is entirely preventable. FAS was first reported in France in 1968 and noticed/discussed in the United States by Jones and Smith in 1973. Jones and Smith would identify distinctive facial features in children who were exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. Some of these facial features are: short eyelid openings, flat midface, thin upper lip and a flat or smooth grove between nose and upper lip. The children can also show growth retardation and significant cognitive and/or behavioral problems/issues. In the United States, FAS/Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder [FASD] occurs in about 10 per 1,000 live births or 40,000 babies per year. FAS is a lifelong condition that is not curable and has serious lifelong consequences. Unfortunately, there is no known limit on the amount of alcohol a mother can safely consume, that will not cause...
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...Prenatal Substance Abuse Effects on the Exposed Fetus Substance abuse during pregnancy has become a significant problem worldwide. Studies show that drugs taken by a pregnant woman can cause many short and long term health risks to the fetus. The substance reach the fetus primarily by crossing the placenta, the same route taken by oxygen and nutrients, which are needed for the fetus growth and development. Drugs that a pregnant woman takes during pregnancy can cause direct impact to the fetus. Prenatal drug exposure increases the risk of giving birth to babies with developmental delays. Women who use alcohol, cocaine or tobacco when they are pregnant may have brain structure changes that persis into early adolescence. The negative effects...
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...students that did not have prior contact with their partners and were not exposed to the oxytocin had less trust in their partners – concluding the initial hypothesis to be correct. 5. Heim, C., Young, L.J., Newport, D.J., Mletzko, T., Miller, A.H., Nemeroff, C.B., 2009. Lower CSF Oxytocin Concentrations in Women with a History of Childhood Abuse. Molecular Psychiatry 14, 954 – 958. This experiment tests to determine if oxytocin levels in adult women could be affected by negative social interactions with their parents in their childhood. Twenty-two non-pregnant, non-medicated women with regular cycles were given a Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), which identified five types of childhood abuse, with a cutoff score determining whether they were in fact traumatized by their childhood abuse or not. Next, 4-6 mL of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was collected from each of the 22 participating women and stored at -80 °C. The CSF was then examined for oxytocin levels via EIA System Kits. The results concluded that there was significant evidence that women with traumatic social experiences with their parents in their childhood had decreased oxytocin levels in adulthood – relative to women that were not traumatized by childhood abuse. 6. Kirsch, P., Esslinger, C., Chen, Q., Mier, D., Lis, S., Siddhanti, S., Gruppe, H., Mattay, V.S., Gallhofer, B., 2005. Oxytocin Modulates Neural Circuitry for Social Cognition and Fear in Humans. J. Neuroscience. 25, 11489 – 11493. This experiment tests...
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...Under most, if not all circumstances, a woman’s behavior during her pregnancy be subject it criminal prosecution with the intent to harm her child. Whether it’s cocaine use, alcohol, or any other psychoactive drug that a woman uses while pregnant, if she shows no intent to stop and has neglect for her unborn child’s welfare then she should most definitely be criminally prosecuted. In instances where the child is born a live but dies later due to drug infection then the mother should be prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors should establish an intent to harm when prosecuting women who have used drugs while pregnant compared to the potential for harmful consequences to the unborn child. Any woman who uses drugs while pregnant,...
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...The Sociological framework that best describes the popularized term “crack baby” is Symbolic Interactionism because it deals with the way we label one another. The videoclip provides viewers how Dr. Chasnoff studies released the “crack baby” propaganda on society. Dr. Chasnoff research revealed, that babies born to cocaine users suffered from various birth defects, jitters, mental retardation and at risk for SIDS. Furthermore, proclaimed that these babies would be costly and swamp the social service system. This created a frenzy in society, that led to the term “crack baby” and led various prosecution of pregnant cocaine users. These women were being charged with child abuse and labeled as killers and drug dealers. The media went wild and...
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