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Mothers who use illegal drugs during pregnancy leading to child's addiction will be charged with assault under proposed bill

Tennessee lawmakers Terri Weaver and Janice Bowling want to charge mothers if their child is born addicted or harmed because of the drugs they took during pregnancy
UPDATED FEB 15, 2019

Two Tennessee lawmakers have proposed a bill that would charge mothers with assault if they use drugs while they were pregnant and their baby is born addicted.

State representative Terri Weaver and State senator Janice Bowling have reportedly supported the legislation which was filed last week, according to Fox 13. The proposed bill says that if a woman uses an illegal drug while they are pregnant and if the child is born addicted or harmed because of the drugs, then they will be charged with assault.

The women, however, can avoid being charged if they enrol in a recovery program before the baby is born. Once they enlist for the program, they have to complete it after the birth of the child, regardless of whether their baby is born addicted to the substance used or not. If the legislation passes, it will come into effect this summer of July 1.

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