TresSugar

Should Mothers Be Prosecuted For Exposing Their Unborn Babies to Drugs?

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:03:34 PDT

Could a glass of wine during pregnancy land you behind bars? It might if you live in Alabama. In this upcoming weekend's New York Times Magazine, Ada Calhoun delves into Alabama's controversial chemical-endangerment laws where mothers who give birth to babies with even a trace of drugs in their bloodstreams are not only ordered into rehab but are criminally prosecuted for putting their newborns in harm's way.

In one case, when a newborn died hours after his premature birth, and mother tested positive for methamphetamine, she was charged with a Class A felony for contributing to the death of her child, with a mandatory sentence of 10 years to life. The laws - which are the harshest in the country - were designed to protect kids from "explosive meth labs," but they are now being applied to expectant mothers, and that's where the controversy comes in. Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists all fear that such prosecutions may just be the tip of the iceberg. In the article, Emma Ketteringham, the director of the National Advocates For Pregnant Women, says:

"It starts with cocaine, and then it’s cigarettes and alcohol. How much alcohol? And when? It’s only a matter of time until it comes to refusing a bed-rest order because you need to work and take care of your other children and then you have a miscarriage. What if you stay at a job where you’re exposed to toxic chemicals, as at a dry cleaner? What if you keep taking your SSRIs during pregnancy? If a woman is told that sex during her pregnancy could be a risk to the fetus, and the woman has sex anyway and miscarries, are you going to prosecute the woman - and the man, too?"

What do you think? Should women be prosecuted for exposing their unborn babies to drugs?

LSD in the 1960s

Annie Scudder — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:40:46 PDT

Neurotic Roger Sterling finds truth on this week's episode of Mad Men with the help of LSD. Thanks to his experimental much younger wife, Jane, Roger reluctantly attends a dinner party, which becomes much more interesting once acid comes into the mix.

As expected, this season of Mad Men is full of historical references from 1966. If you paid close attention to Roger's one-liners, you may have heard him say, "Well, Dr. Leary I find your product boring," after his early reaction to LSD leaves him less than entertained. Roger, who eventually comes around to the drug during his trip, wasn't talking about Jane's professor friend hosting the party. Dr. Timothy Leary was a Harvard psychologist who founded the League for Spiritual Discovery (LSD) in 1966. The holy sacrament of the religion was LSD, and Leary hoped to get it legalized under freedom of religion. As an ad man like Roger Sterling could appreciate, Dr. Leary was the face of the LSD brand, and his one-liner "turn on, tune in, drop out" was meant to work like an advertising slogan.

Before the counterculture of the 1960s, LSD captured the interest of the US government. The CIA conducted experiments, hoping it could leverage the drug for mind control or chemical warfare. Also beginning in the 1950s and gaining popularity during the '60s, psychotherapists used it as a way to get to a patient's subconscious. By 1967, the Beatles had released "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." Although John Lennon denied the title was a reference to the psychedelic drug, the BBC banned the song. Soon came a more significant ban. In 1968, the US made LSD illegal. Take a look at some photos of Dr. Leary and his following from the 1960s now.

Lady Gaga: I Don't Think Amy Needed to Learn Any Lessons

Tara Block — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:30:00 PDT

On The View today, Lady Gaga talked openly about the recent death of 27-year-old musician Amy Winehouse and some of the similar struggles she's gone through as an artist. Lady Gaga was unapologetic about her late friend's lifestyle, saying she wasn't the one who needed to learn a lesson, the world (and the media) needed to learn a lesson about kindness and the pressures of super-stardom. She also talked about her own history with hard drug use and how it was her father who helped her recover from it. Watch the video now and tell me, do you think celebrities need to take responsibility for their lifestyles, or are we to be held responsible for contributing to their problems?

Group Therapy: Weed Over Me?

Tres Community — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 03:05:15 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

My boyfriend has just finished college and is starting his job next week, so therefore he's only had 2 weeks of summer holidays. This final week he's been going crazy. I am aware that he spends a lot of time with his friends as they're really close, but they also smoke weed.

I didn't know when we first started dating, but I got used to it as he's not smoking it everyday, or goes a bit loopy if he hasn't smoked any for a while (they just do it for fun, instead of drinking). And from when I found out about this I said to myself that if he ever put weed before me that'd be it, we'd be over. But this week he's been going out every night (because of having starting work soon); normally he'd always answer my texts and we'd have a good, long chat everyday, but he's sending one or two texts and not saying where he's going or what he's doing. Not even a "I love you" . . . even though I know he's going out with his friends and smoking weed! I really don't know what to do. I know that he has to spend time with his friends, but what about me?! Have your friends and weed become more important than your own girlfriend? Hmm, please help me out here!

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Group Therapy: Supporting an Old Friend After Rehab and Betrayal

Tres Community — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 03:05:57 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

A friend of mine recently completed a rehab program and contacted me to make amends. As you might imagine, our friendship went from close, to strained, to non-existent for reasons both directly and indirectly related to her addiction. There was a straw/camel’s back situation a few years ago, which led to me completely cutting her off.

Despite that, I’m still the only friend she has left. I really want her to lead a happy and sober life. I do care about her and we have lots of good memories together from the years we were friends. But peppered throughout those years were all sorts of betrayals, drama, and negativity. My life since I cut her out has been drastically better; the people around me are people I trust and drama is rare. I guess I just don’t know where she fits into my life anymore.

I should add that when we spoke, it seemed like she was really committed to staying sober and not engaging in the other destructive behaviors that caused our friendship breakup. But you can imagine why I would be hesitant to believe that after years of lies.

I guess my question is: Is it an obligation of mine to be one of her main support systems since she doesn't have other friends? Can I be supportive of her new life without really letting her back into mine? Can people really change, not just get clean, but actually change how they interact with and treat people during rehab? Also, I’d just be interested in hearing from anyone who has gone through rehab themselves or had a friend or loved one transition to a sober life.

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Would You Use Laughing Gas During Labor?

Heather Maddan — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:01:34 PST

Most women need something to take the edge off during labor and there are lots of options with the epidural being fairly common. But now, moms-to-be will likely have another choice - laughing gas. One report said:

The use of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, during childbirth fell out of favor in the United States decades ago, and just two hospitals - one in San Francisco and one in Seattle - still offer it. But interest in returning the dentist office staple to the delivery room is growing: respected hospitals including Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center plan to start offering it, the federal government is reviewing it, and after a long hiatus, the equipment needed to administer it is expected to hit the market soon.

Would you consider using it?

Is It Fair For a Mother to Keep a Child From His Father?

Heather Maddan — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 10:00:00 PST

A deadbeat dad rolls into town on last night's Parenthood! When Amber and Drew's pop shows up to play some gigs, Sarah has a bit of a breakdown when she finds out her son has been hanging out with his father. While the mom of two has good reason - namely because her ex is an addict - is it ever fair to keep a kid (who wants a relationship) away from his or her parent?

As Name Suggests, Man Up Now Is Not a Legit Drug

Annie Scudder — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:00:18 PST

The FDA has issued a warning on the male sexual enhancement drug called "Man Up Now." The company behind the capsules markets the over-the-counter drug as "herbal" and "all natural" but what it really means is "Viagra."

The FDA has warned users to stop using it now because the active ingredient can cause low blood pressure or complications for men with heart disease. It can also interact with other prescription drugs. Since men don't need a prescription to "Man Up Now," doctors are not able to weigh the health risks.

Some men might miss the chance to buy an erection at the drug store (or more likely online), but I don't feel too bad for them since a clinically proven female libido enhancer still eludes women.

Link Time - Pros and Cons of Dating a Pot Head

TresSugar — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:15:53 PST

When your partner really likes weed - YourTango
How not to approach someone online - The Frisky
What to do when he wants to spend more time with his friends - Glamour
Couple gift ideas you can enjoy together - Glo
How did your parents' spending shape your money habits? - SavvySugar

Brilliant or Baffling: Legalizing Drugs to Save Money

Emily Co — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 05:00:00 PDT

All drugs - pot, crack, heroin, meth, and more - should be legalized, says Harvard professor Jeffrey Miron. He says that we would be saving $41.3 billion annually, which the government spends (ineffectively) on the crackdown on drugs. People are still using drugs despite the efforts and huge amounts of money are spent to eradicate it, Miron says. Not everyone in the public is addicted to drugs like caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, so the same will hold true if we make all the other drugs legal, Miron rationalizes. Sounds like a very controversial and innovative way to generate more revenue. What's your take on this - brilliant or baffling?