Pregnant narcotic users will face criminal prosecution under a new Tennessee bill, decried by women’s rights and health organizations. Signed into law by Republican Governor Bill Haslam, the Tennessee bill allows women to be charged with assault if using narcotics during pregnancy and give birth to a child who is harmed or dependent on drugs…
Zero tolerance policies and long, automatic prison sentences embodied by the “war on drugs” may be in the midst of a major shift – backed by many states, whose prisons house the majority of U.S. offenders. The current rethinking of the drug war seems only to reflect the current state of our country’s environment: Shifts…
The legal consequences of alcohol When an individual engages in drug or alcohol use in an abusive manner, the user places themselves at risk for an array of legal consequences. Ranging from minor to severe, these consequences should be considered before continuing down an abusive path. In this entry we will outline a few of the…
Mental health professionals and medical specialists are bound by confidentiality laws. Treatment for addiction often involves not only mental health but also medical procedures, including detox. Federally aided addiction recovery facilities are bound by two pieces of legislation. Depending on the state, laws pertaining to privacy and confidentiality may be even stricter. In the 1970’s,…