Way back in the distant past, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, we had discussions of the exaggerated claims for the unique harm to children caused by prenatal exposure to cocaine. These alarming claims, which have largely been debunked, have led to stigmatization of children of women who used cocaine during pregnancy. It has also led to such unjustified and unethical actions as punitive legal action against these women, including paying them to be sterilized (See for example my post back in April of 2002 at http://tinyurl.com/c48evv ).
But so powerful is the myth of the crack-addled (and addicted) baby that the NY Times felt it necessary to just now run yet another article debunking the myth. http://tinyurl.com/bd3hae The epidemic that wasn't Susan Okie, NY Times, January 26, 2009 Stephen ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University e-mail: [email protected] 2600 College St. Sherbrooke QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Subscribe to discussion list (TIPS) for the teaching of psychology at http://flightline.highline.edu/sfrantz/tips/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
