‘Crack baby’ study ends with unexpected but clear result – Philly.com.

This is another story that doesn’t really have much to do with freedom; I just find it interesting when studies come out that reveal widespread beliefs to be entirely in error and without factual support, especially when they get relatively little mainstream media attention.

Perhaps they’re ignoring it because it casts doubt upon the war on drugs?  Perhaps they’re ignoring it because the belief that “mother on drugs = baby with learning disability” is just so ingrained in our culture that they don’t expect anyone to believe the study at all?  Perhaps they’re worried that if this becomes well known, mothers will be more likely to continue to use drugs while pregnant?

Regardless of the reason, it’s important that we have our facts straight.  In this case, the facts seem to be that socioeconomic conditions and location are the factors that influence child development, not whether the mother happened to be smoking crack while pregnant.

I’m particularly interested in knowing how this knowledge might affect individuals who were “crack babies.”  Those who, throughout their entire life, have had lowered expectations from society, and have lived with a certain amount of shame due to a perceived shortcoming that might not actually exist at all.  It’s certainly an interesting situation to consider.