blematic period which undoubtedly raises a number of issues for them. Firstly getting pregnant, since a lot of intravenous drug users do not believe that they are able to fall pregnant, "long-term drug use and erratic eating habits result in menstruation cessation. They do not believe they can conceive and attribute morning sickness to drug withdrawal" (Bean, 2002 p.164). For some drug using women, falling pregnant offers a way out of their situation, they feel a responsibility for another life and are able to drag themselves away from their situation with a new found positive outlook on life. For most pregnant drug users however the addition of another life to cope with is too much fro them and brings only guilt often forcing them into a deeper addiction. Pregnant women who come before the courts are looked on, as failing in their female role even more than non-pregnant drug users, and face the risk of having their child taken from them soon after birth should they fail to end their habit (Bean 2002 p.166).
             Women who have children and a drug habit are discouraged from seeking help for their problems because they fear losing their children to the social services, "The days are long gone where a mother could expect a child to remain in care for a number of years and then be able to reclaim it when she was ready" (Bean 2002 p.166). If fear of losing their children prevents women drug users from seeking the help that they desperately need, the system of help for drug using women is clearly not working.
             Male drug users often fund their habits through petty crime, normally burglary. Female drug users however often fund their habit through prostitution, this carries with it the risk of not only falling pregnant but also venereal disease and HIV. Unfortunately society considers prostitution a more serious offence to decency and moral values than burglary, even if the courts don't. This means that women who...