When Cannabis Calls CPS: Bias and Outdated Policies Target Minority Families

New research reveals the harsh truth—parents of color are scrutinized, investigated, and often separated from their children over cannabis use, while other substances go unchecked.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has handed down some difficult truths about racial bias within child welfare. The findings show that African American infants are disproportionately subjected to drug testing in hospitals, particularly when allegations of parental cannabis use arise. It’s a painful reminder that child protective systems often unfairly target families of color, reflecting biases we’d hoped were on their way out. Yet, here we are again, seeing data that says otherwise.

Digging Into the Data: What the Study Shows

Researchers at a major California children’s hospital analyzed 511 cases involving infants and young children with positive drug screens. Their goal? To examine which of these cases were reported to Child Protective Services (CPS) and what happened to the families afterward. Here’s where it gets troubling. Nearly half—47.7%—of the drug-positive cases were reported to CPS. That means for almost every second case, child prot…