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Babies Born Addicted to Opiates Perform Poorly in School

  • January 18, 2017

Children born to mothers addicted to heroin and other opiates perform worse on tests when they age into school, and additionally are saddled with other health problems, according to new research, as reported by CNN Health. What’s even more shocking is that there are five times as many children born this way than just a decade ago.

This sad information weighs in heavily on the fact that, in the U.S., deaths from opioid addiction more than quadrupled between 2000 and 2013, with the prescription painkiller Oxycontin being a primary driving force behind the rising problem of heroin and prescription painkiller addiction.

Not only that, more Americans now use prescription opioids than smoke cigarettes. Substance abuse has also eclipsed cancer in terms of prevalence, and costs the U.S. more than the treatment of diabetes. The horrendous truth is opiates are killing more Americans than car crashes.

While I believe there is a place for short-term use of pain killers in medical care, it’s unquestionable that it’s time to stop the madness, beginning with the drug industry and prescribing doctors acknowledging their roles in this epidemic, and taking responsibility for its resolution. Pharma needs to be honest about the products they sell, and doctors need to use restraint by prescribing pain pills only when necessary.

If you suffer from chronic pain, one way to address it is to eliminate sugar, which stimulates inflammation, from your diet. Omega-3 fats can help, as well as optimizing your vitamin D. If it’s legal in your state, medical marijuana is also a natural analgesic.