Laws that punish drug use during pregnancy likely lead to worse health outcomes for families, study finds

Contrary to some claims, laws that criminalize or otherwise punish drug use during pregnancy are more likely to worsen rather than improve health outcomes. The study is the first to systematically review the literature on punitive prenatal drug laws — an increasingly common state policy strategy for addressing rising rates of prenatal drug use.

​Contrary to some claims, laws that criminalize or otherwise punish drug use during pregnancy are more likely to worsen rather than improve health outcomes. The study is the first to systematically review the literature on punitive prenatal drug laws — an increasingly common state policy strategy for addressing rising rates of prenatal drug use. Contrary to some claims, laws that criminalize or otherwise punish drug use during pregnancy are more likely to worsen rather than improve health outcomes. The study is the first to systematically review the literature on punitive prenatal drug laws — an increasingly common state policy strategy for addressing rising rates of prenatal drug use.