2 ms·

Yet arrests can be made, and bail denied, before a trial if there is reasonable suspicion that the defendant is a danger to other human beings. And in this case

by btown 10y ago

Yet arrests can be made, and bail denied, before a trial if there is reasonable suspicion that the defendant is a danger to other human beings. And in this case, the positive test result was certainly enough for reasonable suspicion. Everyone acted professionally, the baby was not taken away, the freedom to breastfeed was not taken away. Even if the (statistical) test should have taken whether a person is known to use an asthma inhaler into (greater?) account in its prior distribution, that doesn't change the procedure here, just the number of people it might apply to.

seanmcdirmid 10y ago
Asthma inhalers, poppy seed muffins, whatever. If the false positive rate is even just 1% or .1%, then the results must automatically be treated with suspicion and the dignity of the accused shouldn't be infringed on (e.g. You tested positive, it could be false, we'll need to run some more tests).
powercf 10y ago
From the article: > All three days, the nurses are reluctant to hand over the baby, saying my actions are irresponsible. > Every shift change, two nurses stand by my bed and inform another two nurses of my status as a combative patient. “This woman tested positive for methamphetamine,” This does not strike me as very professional. The medical staff should have considered the possibility of a false positive, and given the mother the benefit of the doubt when she said she wasn't taking methamphetamine. Telling the mother that she shouldn't breastfeed and that CPS have been called, while not stopping her from breastfeeding (presumably they have no legal power) is the worst of both worlds: increase stress/worry (which is something the child would pick up on), draw everyone's focus away from the actual birth and the child, while simultaneously allowing her to potentially pass this, presumably harmful, drug to the child. Madness.

by btown 10y ago

seanmcdirmid 10y ago

Asthma inhalers, poppy seed muffins, whatever. If the false positive rate is even just 1% or .1%, then the results must automatically be treated with suspicion and the dignity of the accused shouldn't be infringed on (e.g. You tested positive, it could be false, we'll need to run some more tests).

powercf 10y ago

From the article: > All three days, the nurses are reluctant to hand over the baby, saying my actions are irresponsible. > Every shift change, two nurses stand by my bed and inform another two nurses of my status as a combative patient. “This woman tested positive for methamphetamine,” This does not strike me as very professional. The medical staff should have considered the possibility of a false positive, and given the mother the benefit of the doubt when she said she wasn't taking methamphetamine. Telling the mother that she shouldn't breastfeed and that CPS have been called, while not stopping her from breastfeeding (presumably they have no legal power) is the worst of both worlds: increase stress/worry (which is something the child would pick up on), draw everyone's focus away from the actual birth and the child, while simultaneously allowing her to potentially pass this, presumably harmful, drug to the child. Madness.