Surge in drug-affected newborns driven by rural opioid use

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Dec 12, 1:09 PM EST

By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer


CHICAGO (AP) -- A surge in U.S infants born with symptoms of withdrawal from heroin or strong prescription painkillers is driven largely by rising drug use among women in rural areas, a new study found.

The study, led by University of Michigan researchers, estimates that about 21 percent of newborns in rural counties had withdrawal symptoms in 2013, up from 13 percent in 2004.

Newborns whose mothers use these drugs during pregnancy are at risk for seizures, excessive crying, problems with breathing, sleeping and feeding and other withdrawal symptoms. Treatment sometimes includes methadone and babies may need to be hospitalized for weeks or months.

The study shows the rate for affected rural newborns climbed six-fold - from about 1 per 1,000 births in 2004 to almost 8 per 1,000 births in 2013. By contrast, in urban areas the rate climbed from 1 per 1,000 to 5 per 1,000 births. The rates correspond with women's use of opioid drugs during pregnancy. This includes use or misuse of oxycodone and other prescription opioid painkillers, and use of illegal narcotics.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MED_OPIOIDS_NEWBORNS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-12-12-13-09-50

[NoMoreRepugs]

1. the heartland - home of real americans these #'s aren't surprising

[tenorly]

2. The Bush legacy. A gift that keeps on giving.

Opium cultivation is estimated to be at an all-time high in Afghanistan, despite the US spending $7.5bn to combat it.

A report released Wednesday by Washington’s Afghanistan war watchdog has found that the billions spent by the State and Defense departments on counter-narcotics since 2002 has been for nought. Opium-poppy cultivation takes up 209,000 hectares (516,230 acres) of land in Afghanistan, a 36% increase since 2012.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/30/afghan-opium-production-explodes-billions-spent-us-report

Now, more than 90% of the world’s heroin comes from Afghanistan. Immediately following the October 2001 invasion, opium markets were restored.

In 2001, under the Taliban opiate production stood at 185 tons, increasing to 3400 tons in 2002 under the US sponsored puppet regime of President Hamid Karzai. After more than twelve years of military occupation, Afghanistan’s opium trade isn’t just sustaining, it’s thriving more than ever before.

http://mediaroots.org/opium-what-afghanistan-is-really-about/

[Sunlei]

4. poppys are easy peasy to grow anywhere.

That stuff has to be produced much more local to the addiction hotspots.

[Aristus]

3. Hey, Rural America! We could help you out with that!

But it would mean, you know, voting for the people who want to help you out with that...

Am I expecting too much?...

[Sunlei]

5. unlike poor crack babies, rural addicts will have lovely free 'for profit' treatment facilities.

[LisaM]

6. Rural opioid use - another issue never addressed during the campaign.

And it's a real problem.

[Upward]

7. If These Are Trump Voters, I Say "Hand it Over"

I see no reason to help them out of the hole, when they're trying to drag the rest of the country down.

[womanofthehills]

8. And - the numbers will rise big time as the Republicans make it harder to get an abortion

and they will make sure they cut drug rehab programs while they are at it, so the mothers and babies have less of a chance. And -- then cut Medicaid so the babies have reduced health care. The finishing touch will be to lower the amt of foodstamps.