Tennessee is doubling down on prosecution of pregnant drug users
 

Tennessee is doubling down on prosecution of pregnant drug users
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Tennessee legislators aren't giving up on the state's controversial "fetal assault" law.

The state enacted the first-of-its-kind statute, which makes it a crime for women to use narcotic ***** while pregnant, in 2014.

The original version is set to expire this year, but state lawmakers plan to vote Tuesday on a bill that would extend the law, despite severe criticisms that it's done more harm than good.

SEE ALSO: This chart shows what American women go through before an abortion


Originally, the law was meant to reduce the state's rate of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), a condition in which newborn babies suffer from drug dependency caused by exposure to opiates during pregnancy. Tennessee's NAS rate is one of the highest in the country. Read more...


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