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April 30, 2014

Tennessee Enacts Law Criminalizing Drug Use in Pregnancy 
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has signed a bill allowing mothers to face
potential jail time if they use drugs during pregnancy. The measure says
women can be criminally charged if their babies are born dependent on
drugs. The bill sparked a national outcry from medical experts and
reproductive health advocates who say it could discourage women from
seeking help for addiction. In a statement, the American Civil Liberties
Union said: "The Tennessee governor has made it a crime to carry a
pregnancy to term if you struggle with addiction or substance abuse."

 

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