Children are being neglected in the fight against prescription drugs, despite the fact that they are the ones who suffer the most as a result of pill addiction. The authorities have taken a number of steps, including establishing a more stringent prescription-drug database and implementing stronger legislation, but the epidemic does not appear to be getting better despite these efforts.
Because of this, there are a significant number of children whose parents are addicted to prescription drugs, and these children are at risk of physical and emotional abuse as a result of their parents’ addiction. The number of instances of this being seen by state and municipal child protection professionals is on the rise. The majority of cases of child abuse and neglect may be traced back, either directly or indirectly, to the abuse of prescription drugs.
It is unreasonable to anticipate that a parent who is addicted to drugs or alcohol will be able to provide the kind of care that is required for their children when they are struggling to take care of themselves. When this happens, the children’s safety is compromised, and state and municipal authorities are required to take action.
It is incomprehensible how much of an impact this is having on the many components of the child welfare system. This pandemic is akin to epidemics that occurred in the past, including yellow fever and smallpox. One of the most significant obstacles is the limited amount of cash that is available for these types of programs. Another issue is that there are not enough people willing to become foster parents. The protection of the family has been the primary objective if that can ever be accomplished.
The aftermath, particularly the children, is something that the vast majority of people don’t give any thought to. Babies are being delivered with addictions to opioids and other narcotics, and they have to go through withdrawals in the hospital. This is a growing problem in the United States. As a direct consequence of this, these youngsters will eventually develop special needs.
Children who were fortunate enough to avoid being exposed to drugs while they were still in their mother’s womb suffer in a variety of other ways as a result of their parents’ drug addiction. People who are addicted to drugs eventually pass away, just like those who have fatal cancer. Would it be reasonable to expect someone with a terminal disease to provide appropriate care for a child or children? Although some of these youngsters endure more suffering than others, all of them are currently in danger and are living in unstable settings.
In the future, what standards of behavior will be required of these children as they mature into adults? Due to the fact that addiction is a product of both heredity and environment, is modern society producing children that can be discarded as useless? Are these going to be the kinds of children that are doomed from the moment they are conceived? The war on drugs must not only take these children’s circumstances into account, but it must also actively involve them. If not, what options do they have before them?