Smoking While Pregnant in Alabama

Im 32 weeks pregnant and cant seem to kick the habit of smoking bud... I am a recent college graduate and have smoked almost everyday for the past 6 years. I have told myself that I would quit for good right after christmas (with that being about a month before my due date) but am afraid of the "withdrawls" that I will have and how that will affect my baby... (what i mean by withdrawls is, is that when i DONT smoke, i will get really sick, my stomach will hurt, my head will hurt, i will start cold sweating, anxious, etc.) I read somewhere that some hospitals drug test mothers after the birth and if the mother & baby test positive for marijuana then the mother will be arrested and charged with a FELONY. (child endangerment charge?). Is this a standard practice in all hospitals? Does anyone know SPECIFICALLY for Alabama? (Jefferson County) Or do they only test if they are suspicious? I already toss and turn knowing I shouldnt smoke like I do, but it honestly helps with the pregnancy aches and pains and not to mention allow me to actually eat! Im feeling trapped and scared thinking I could potentially be arrested and sent to jail right after having my baby girl... Any thoughts? Suggestions? Would it be worse for me to quit cold turkey?

As far as I know, there are no laws in the united states that say it is unlawful for babies to be born with THC in their system, so I don't think you need to worry about jail.

As for smoking while pregnant, this is usually frowned upon, it can cause problems for the baby. What those problems are, I am not sure, im no doctor. Having admitted that, I think it is best to talk to your doctor about your apparent marijuana withdrawals. I had smoked every day for at least the last 5 years, and have recently stopped, and I never experienced any kind of withdrawal type sickness, nor has any one I have ever known.

As far as going to jail or having your baby taken from you, I wouldn't worry much about that. That really only becomes a concern if you actually get arrested for possession, or a social services agency believes you are neglecting your child because you are out getting high all the time.

Hope this helps

I am from Alabama, and I can tell you that they are drug testing meconium on newborns. I am not sure if it is standard protocol or only if suspicious. What I can say is that Alabama IS arresting women and taking babies for marijuana. I am a pharmacist here and I am also pregnant and smoking. Luckily I am only 6 weeks. I have thought about calling neonatal units telling them I am doing research in an effort to find out policy. So far I have not done so. I am smoking because I was smoking the "legal" stuff before laws changed. I know through much research that marijuana is generally harmless to a fetus. I smoked during previous pregnancy and have a child who is at the absolute to of his class. I have lost 10 lbs so far from severe morning sickness. It saddens me to learn that Alabama is taking this stance and hiss created such a crazy law. The law was meant to punish those subjecting children to places where drys are manufactured or used. This was aimed at meth labs. They have extrapolated that "place" where drugs are being taken to include the womb. Go figure. If you find out if it is protocol, please post this info. Until then guess I need to put down the weed and start puking again. Sad that you can take possibly harmful synthetic cannabinoids, and it will more than likely not even be tested for.