The Writes of A Man, for ALL Humanity

Question: As a Michigan legislator, what should I know about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?

If I could tell you only one thing, it would be this:

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome—and the broader range of conditions known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders—is the leading known preventable cause of permanent developmental disability. Unlike many disabilities, it is entirely preventable, yet once the brain is injured before birth, there is no cure.

The effects often go unrecognized. Many individuals have normal intelligence but struggle with memory, judgment, impulse control, learning from consequences, managing money, maintaining employment, and understanding social situations. These are not character flaws. They are symptoms of permanent brain injury.

When these individuals are misunderstood instead of diagnosed, they often cycle

through schools, child welfare systems, mental health services, homeless shelters, and the criminal justice system. Society spends millions responding to the consequences instead of preventing the cause.

As legislators, you have the power to change that.

Prevention begins with honest public education. Early identification leads to better outcomes. Training for educators, healthcare providers, judges, law enforcement, and child welfare professionals helps ensure that people with prenatal alcohol exposure are treated appropriately rather than punished for disabilities they cannot control.

Every child deserves the opportunity to be born with the healthiest brain possible. Every family deserves accurate information about the risks of alcohol during pregnancy. And every taxpayer benefits when prevention replaces lifelong intervention.

The question is not whether Michigan can afford to address prenatal alcohol exposure.

The question is whether Michigan can afford not to.

The science has been clear for decades. The opportunity to act is today.