More babies are being born to drug-dependent mothers every year in Tayside hospitals.
A freedom of information request submitted to NHS Tayside discovered that the number of babies diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) has more than quadrupled in the last three years with 49 born addicted in the past 18 months.
The number of cases has increased steadily from eight in 2011/12, to 13 in 2012/13, before leaping to 21 in 2013/14.
Last year, the number of babies treated rose sharply again to 34, with a further 15 instances recorded so far in the 2015/16 financial year.
Dundee Labour councillor Kevin Keenan said: “The real concern here is for the children who did not make a choice and risk growing up with the sins of their parents.
“We need to work with medical professionals to tackle the drug problem and give people the support they need to bring this figure down.”
Babies born to drug-dependent mothers are treated in NHS Tayside’s postnatal ward or, if necessary, are referred to the neonatal intensive care unit.
Not all of the babies recorded in these statistics began a drug treatment programme and these figures include babies who were discharged without drug treatment.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “It is crucial pregnant women and their unborn children get access to high quality healthcare as we know the important contribution it makes to healthy lives, this is especially relevant when the mothers have drug dependencies.”