Frustrations over the drug problem in the United States have led to calls for increasing penalties for traffickers and for holding drug users accountable. The latter has been heard more recently with respect to drug-addicted, pregnant women. At the same time, a portion of the public has called for treating these drug-addicted women. Consequently, drug-addicted, pregnant women have received both punitive action and treatment endeavors. Many advocates for these women, however, state that a woman's rights to privacy and autonomy are violated when efforts are made to punish or forcibly treat them. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to discuss the rationales for both punishment and treatment for drug-addicted, pregnant women and the implications of both policies.
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