There have been various news reports over the past few weeks about the American organisation Project Prevention; which aims to prevent children being born to drug using parents by sterilising drug users. Project Prevention offers those drug users an incentive payment.
Addaction firmly believes that there is no place for Project Prevention in the UK because their practices are morally reprehensible and irrelevant.
Sex education and contraceptive advice is part of drug treatment work in this country. Women who use drugs can access all types of contraception free on the NHS including a number of long term options.
Addaction is one of the UK’s largest providers of drug treatment. Our first-hand experience shows that people can make positive changes with the right support – both for themselves and for their children. In fact, many of our clients stopped using drugs because they became a parent.
It’s certainly true that too many children are growing up with drug-using parents, but working with the whole family – as Addaction does – helps stop drug use and improves a child’s prospects dramatically.
You can find out how Addaction is tackling the problem here.
