More than 1,500 babies were born addicted to drugs last year, according to statistics uncovered by a national newspaper. Since 2009, almost 8,000 babies have been born showing symptoms of drug withdrawal, the Daily Mirror found. The figures show ‘addiction is not just about individual choice – it affects children, families, communities and public services’, according to one think-tank. The Mirror used freedom of information requests to gain figures on the issue from NHS organisations, stretching back five years. An average of over 1,500 babies a year since 2009 were born showing ‘neonatal withdrawal symptoms’, the figures revealed. Most of the babies involved were born in England – some 6,600 – with over 700 in Scotland and almost 500 in Wales. In 2013 the figure for Great Britain stood at 1,536.