Which law would you like to see passed in Wisconsin?

[Kris10]

Take our poll and discuss these potential laws in this thread (or laws you would like to see passed).

[pk]

Well I know this has been said in another forum but I am going to put it out there once again.

A law should be passed that women that are pregnant should not be allowed to smoke (or drink).

I am very much against pregnant woman being allowed to smoke or drink. I realize so many people say that this is against our rights and a law of such should not be imposed on us.

Unfortuneately I feel our 'rights' should not be considered when we are harming another human, especially when the harm could be against an unborn life that depends on us to protect them. This little human cannot speak for him/her self. Someone has to stand up and protect the rights of the unborn and if the mother is not taking proper precautions to ensure a healthy life for her unborn child then a law needs to be placed on pregnant women to ensure the unborn child a healthy life.

The court steps in and arrest parents for child abuse. The law steps in if anyone tries to harm another person. So why does the law fail unborn babies as if they have no rights just because they are not in our 'world' yet?

So many facts and studies have been done on the dangers of smoking and/or drinking and the long term effects on the unborn child, yet everyone screams it is not fair to have a law protecting the child from this danger when the mom smokes. I read comments that say, education is the answer rather than placing a law on this. Educate? Sure. But so many people are uneducated on so many factors in life and many simply are not interested in learning. So what about them? Someone, somehow has to protect the unborn until everyone..gets the idea that smoking especially is harmful to the unborn child that can't speak for themselves. Unreal.

[pk]

Here are a few examples that concern smoking while pregnant:

Women have yet another reason to stop smoking while pregnant. In the largest study of its kind, plastic surgeons found smoking during pregnancy significantly elevates the risk of having a child with excess, webbed or missing fingers and toes, according to the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). In fact, the study found that smoking just half a pack per day increases the risk of having a child born with a toe or finger defect by 29 percent.

FULL STORY HERE: Smoking While Pregnant Causes Finger, Toe Deformities

[pk]

Women who smoke while pregnant are 50 percent to 70 percent more likely than nonsmokers to give birth to a baby with a cleft lip or palate, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Michigan Health System.
The risk of the disfiguring facial birth defect rises with the number of cigarettes that a mother-to-be smokes each day, even after factors like the mother's race, age and educational level are considered. The finding, based on the largest-ever examination of cleft lip and palate incidence nationwide, suggests that the deformity should be added to the list of potential harmful effects from smoking during pregnancy. It also suggests a possible cause for the mysterious defect.

FULL STORY HERE;
Smoking During Pregnancy Found To Increase Risk Of Cleft Lip And Palate

[pk]

Children whose mothers had smoked while pregnant were almost three times as likely to start smoking regularly at or before the age of 14 and around twice as likely to start smoking after this age as those whose mothers were non-smokers.

FULL STORY HERE:
Pregnant Smokers May 'Program' Their Kids To Become Smokers


Add another item to the long list of reasons to quit smoking : A new study finds that women who smoke during early pregnancy are more likely to have babies with congenital heart defects.

FULL STORY HERE:
Smoking While Pregnant Boosts Baby's Heart Defect - Womens Health and Medical Information on MedicineNet.com

[pk]

Women who quit smoking before pregnancy could help their future grandchildren avoid asthma.

"If a woman smokes while she is pregnant, both her children and her grandchildren may be more likely to have asthma as a result," says Frank Gilliland, MD, PhD, in a news release.


FULL STORY HERE:
Smoking While Pregnant Ups Baby's Asthma Risk

[pk]

A recent study suggests that babies of mothers who smoke during pregnancy may undergo withdrawal-like symptoms similar to those seen in babies of mothers who use some illicit drugs.3 For example, babies of smokers appear to be more jittery and difficult to soothe than babies of non-smokers.

Babies whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are up to three times as likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as babies of nonsmokers.1

FULL STORY HERE:

Smoking During Pregnancy - March of Dimes

[pk]

Statistics from the United States are compelling. If all pregnant women in the United States stopped smoking, there would be an estimated 11 percent reduction in stillbirths and a 5 percent reduction in newborn deaths, according to the U.S. Public Health Service.1 Currently, at least 11 percent of women in the United States smoke during pregnancy.2

Cigarette smoke contains more than 2,500 chemicals. It is not known for certain which of these chemicals are harmful to a developing baby. However, both nicotine and carbon monoxide are believed to play a role in causing adverse pregnancy outcomes.

FULL STORY HERE:
Smoking During Pregnancy - March of Dimes

AND THIS IS JUST A FEW FACTS ON SMOKING...DO YOU WANT TO GET ME STARTED ON DRINKING AND BEING PREGNANT?

Someone has to be the voice for the unborn child. They aren't able to talk to us and let us know that they are choking on our smoke.

Educate? So many women know the facts, but they chose to smoke anyways. It's time to be more forceful for the sake of the baby.

[MichelleC]

While I totally agree that smoking / drinking while pregnant is a horrible thing to do, I don't agree with making it a law. First of all, killing unborn babies isn't even a law so this one does't make sense without that. Second, there's the problem of where to draw the line. I didn't smoke, drink, do drugs, or even take Advil while pregnant but I did eat really badly. I tried not to but I just couldn't control the urge for sugary snacks. I got lucky and didn't get gestational diabetes but I could have. And that can cause problems for the baby. I feel bad that I put my baby at risk by eating too many swiss rolls but should that have been illegal? And, back to smoking, what about smoking around already born kids? That's harmful, too, but not illegal, AFAIK.

So, while I totally agree that it's awful what some pregnant mothers put their babies through, I just don't see this as being law-worthy.

Michelle

[Kris10]

I wish we could get with the program and get the smoking bill passed. Minnesota's statewide ban went into effect Oct. 1. I was in Minnesota that weekend and many places had already gone smoke-free. It was wonderful! I spent a ton of money in bars and restaurants in Minnesota because they were smoke free. I would not patronize the same places in Wisconsin because of the smoke.

I'm also big on the regulation of animal breeders. Puppy mills are a problem in Wisconsin. If you are a legitimate breeder with healthy, well-cared for animals, why would you object to inspections?

I do think it's awful when pregnant women drink or smoke, but that issue comes back to the core of the mother vs. child debate. Does the pregnant mother have the rights, or does the unborn child? If a woman couldn't smoke or drink while pregnant, could she also not eat junk food? Poor diet can be harmful to a baby. I have and always will side for the mother in those cases.

[pk]

So, while I totally agree that it's awful what some pregnant mothers put their babies through, I just don't see this as being law-worthy.

It's law worthy to tell people to stop smoking in public resturants. Second hand smoke is bad for our lungs so everyone that smokes must stop so we don't breathe it in. I agree, it's great to actually sit and eat without smoke blowing in my face and making me choke....but....

it's not law worthy to worry about the health and development of our future generation. Well, what can I say.

[pk]

well...I do know what else to say...

People worry and complain about smokers in bars. Your hair smells from it, you choke in your drink, it's just nasty and it's great when you don't have to put up with it. Some say they won't go to a bar that is full of smoke.

OK, but as this statement shows, people do have the choice to walk out of a place they can't stand because of smoke.

Can a baby walk out? Where is their chance to choose? They can't. It's not fair. They have to put up with it no matter what. No one to help them if there is not a law and the mother decides it is more important to smoke than to care about how it affects her child.

Someone has to be there to protect them. If the mother is simply to selfish to care than someone has to step in for the unborn child. Since when is making sure bars are smoke free more important than making sure a baby's developing body is smoke free?

I do understand and totally agree to have a law invading my choices and telling me that I can't do something when others can do it would be difficult to agree with.

But think about it, the law tells people they can't smoke in public places to help those that want a clean environment and that's ok. But just don't let them help out those that are more in need of help such as an unborn child. Then that is invading our rights?

People say educate. That's a great idea. The way I see it, if the woman is educated than she won't smoke or drink while she is pregnant. Then she wouldn't have to worry about a law if it's in place since she would not do it anyways. The law is there for those that simply don't care. In other words if you are doing what's right, the law wouldn't affect you anyways.

pk

[holrosa]

In regards to Smoking..Don't believe a word of it. I have lived in two States which put a ban on it and Yes, businesses DO shut down for lack of business. As for heath reasons..Give me a break. As a former smoker (my personal choice to quit, was not FORCED) I grew up in a parent smoking home, my daughter was a healthy whopping big baby, my granddaughters are all fine. If you want to stop smoking, then go to the Government and have them BAN sales of tobacco, otherwise, leave the smokers alone. They have rights too. If you talk about increased taxes on Tobacco that goes to fund education, which by the way seems like a never ending drain since they still cannot prove where the lottery money is going to, why not jump on the Beer Drinkers. How many people have been killed by a person smoking and driving compared to a person who was drinking and driving.