Last week Minneapolis police rushed to the Higher Ground homeless shelter where they tried to resuscitate a 2-year-old girl. She was found “in a room with narcotics and paraphernalia around her.”
Substance use rates across Minnesota are not improving, according to data from the state. Opioid overdoses have skyrocketed in recent years, accounting for over 1,000 deaths across the state in 2022, setting a new record.
Many people who battle substance use disorder are parents. As a result, their children are at higher risk for neglect and maltreatment.
State data shows that over 400 newborns were diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome in 2022 – the highest in recent years. Additionally, our own fatality report showed that fentanyl poisoning accounted for nine of the 21 child deaths we reviewed in 2022 and 2023.
However, the number of children being placed outside the home due to caregiver substance misuse has been steadily decreasing.
This makes no sense to us.
We support efforts to increase parental access to treatment. However, we also support efforts to keep children safe from the harmful effects of drugs. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and healthy environment.
In New York City, we are witnessing a similar concerning trend in child welfare. According to a recent report by the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), there has been a significant increase in the number of children entering the foster care system due to parental substance abuse. In 2022, approximately 40% of all children removed from their homes were cases involving parental drug or alcohol misuse, a staggering increase from previous years (Youth Today).
Additionally, the legalization of recreational marijuana in New York State has raised concerns about the potential for increased incidents of child neglect and abuse. While the full impact of this legislative change is yet to be fully understood, early data suggests a correlation between easier access to marijuana and an uptick in child welfare cases involving parental substance abuse (New York State Senate).
The tragic death of a one year old child at a daycare center in the Bronx in 2023, where cocaine was found, further highlights the devastating consequences of substance abuse on innocent lives. The three other children were hospitalized with acute opioid intoxication. (CNN).
While efforts to provide access to treatment for parents struggling with substance abuse disorders are commendable, we must prioritize the safety and well-being of children above all else. Every child deserves a nurturing and secure environment, free from the harmful effects of drugs and neglect.
This story proves how our drug laws have failed spectacularly after 40 yrs! Our drug laws gave the illegal drug dealer’s their own drug market especially the fentanyl market and its toxicity!! Our drug laws killed this child!
Portugal decriminalized and worked with addicted instead killing them and imprisoning them!!
Support change that the MMA, Minn. Med. Association is currently advocating in our leglslature! Drug addiction is a health problem,Not a criminal problem! Putting people in prison doesn’t reduce addiction but in fact does Exactly the opposite!!
Mark Nupen MD