and in those seams are threads of rock, of quarts, again especially in that region in appalachia. that qurts contains silica. so when the mining machines grind up the coal and rock with it, they're creating a combination of coal dust and silica. that's a particularly volatile combination. the other thing that's occurred was the law that was passed to protect miners from black lung and from the dust that causes black lung was never really seriously enforced. it was filled with loopholes from the very beginning that enabled mining companies to basically game the system. there's plenty of evidence that we found that there were signs over the years that miners were being exposed to much more coal dust than they were supposed to be, that the measurement taking by mining companies were not accurate. there were even criminal cases over the years in that regard. so it's a combination of the conditions underground creating more dust, more exposure for miners in terms of the hours they work and a system that has really failed to protect them as congress promised in 1969 when it passed a law

distribute that ability to innovate to every day people and doctors in that rural clinic, in michigan or appalachia, that will have implications in our local health care. the diy movement and the opportunity to make things accessible based on what we identify are enabling technologies -- 3-d printers, laser cutters, 3-d scanners, microprocessors that we weren't even talking about five years ago, have the ability to impact health care in a way that we've never explored before because we always felt we didn't have permission. and i think we probably still don't have permission, but it doesn't mean we can't do something about it. >> jose gomez marquez believes that everyone deserves proper medical care no matter where they ve. he and his team at m.i.t.'s little devices group are creating do ln it-yourself health care technologies that defy convention an sa

. >> reporter: this church in the heart of appalachia is completely quiet just before the service beginsfor creature inside this locked box. it's a rattlesnake. and it's rattling. it's one of seven deadly snakes about to be used in a wild ceremony in god's name. this is pastor andrew. he's a 21-year-old serpent handling pastor at the tasher knackle church o god in tennessee. he and the rest of the congregation practice christianity much differently than almost all other christians. using venomous snakes. it stated, in part, they shall take up serpents. believers like this pastor say when god anoints them they have an obligation to do this and that god will protect them. and even if they are bitten, their belief is god will heal them, no doctors necessary. if it looks dangerous, that's because it is. it's also illegal in the state of tennessee. but that only strengthens the pastor's conviction. snake handling in churches is a tradition in decline. but he wants that to change. it's against the law to have snakes in a church in tennessee. >> right. >> >> reporter: does that concern you? >>

. >> reporter: he runs the home for addicts in the heart of appalachia. >> the most common problem in this system right now is addiction. above everything else. >> reporter: he said women are especially vulnerable to get addicted to prescription painkillers. >> unfortunately, women become addicted harder and faster than men. once they're hooked, they're hooked. >> reporter: when a pregnant woman is addicted to opiates and taking opiates -- >> their baby is addicted as well. >> reporter: doctors are treating them with a drug different than methadone to see if it helps the withdrawal method of babies. right away they see a difference in the womb. >> normal behavior, basically. ziz s >> i see a leg and arm go. if she was on painkillers, what would be the distance? >> very still. >> reporter: he cares for the babies once they're born. this hospital treats more newborns from withdrawal of painkillers than most hospitals in america. some days can be overwhelming. >> we had a few days where we reached 65 to 70% of our patients are going through drug withdrawal. >> 70% of the babies go throug

regulatory policies and said mining practices are in danger in the health and safety of people and appalachia. those are some of the headlines. this is "democracy now!," democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we begin our show with the 2012 summer olympic games where 10,000 athletes from across the world are competing at the olympic park in east london. while nbc has been airing wall- to-wall coverage of the games, little attention has been paid to what has taken place just outside olympic park. in the latest crackdown on dissent, london police arrested 182 people friday for taking part of the monthly critical mass bike ride. it took place during the olympics opening ceremony. the cyclists say there were cattle by police and held overnight. one of those arrested was a 13- year-old schoolboy and another was a protester who identified herself as melanie >. >> [unintelligible] that is why i was arrested. in olympic hero came to speak in london a short while ago, and during his talk he got us to repeat, "i am not afraid of offending my oppressors crime i would like to do the

david chaffin runs a clinic for pregnant addicts in the heart of appalachia.ld you call this a health care crisis for our system as a whole? >> the answer is heck yes. the most common problem in pregnancy in this area right now by far and away is addiction. swamps everything else. >> reporter: he says women are especially vulnerable to getting addicted to prescription painkillers. >> unfortunately, women become addicted harder and faster than men. once they're hooked they're hooked? >> when a pregnant woman is addicted to opiates? >> the baby gets high just like she does. >> reporter: the doctor is treating some patients with a newer drug than methadone to see if it may cause less severe withdrawal symptoms for their babies. already he says he sees a difference in the womb. >> normal behavior basically. >> reporter: he is moving around. i saw an arm go. if she were still on the painkillers, what would be the difference? >> very still. very quiet. >> reporter: dr. sean loudon, a neo neo-natologist cares for the baby ones it is born. some days can be overwhelmin

t-u'll see over towards appalachia area, there are lots of pockets there of a lot of abuse of prescriptionyou find more babies. there's one hospital there where we visit. they say on some days, up to 60%, 65% of the neonatealial intensive care unit, 65% of the babies are in withdrawal. >> kate snow, doing "rock center" tonight, we'll be watching. >> takes one to know one. thank you, andrea. >> and you can catch kate's report tonight on "rock center" with brian williams, 10:00 eastern, of course right here on nbc. >>> guatemala is still trying to come to terms with a brutal history, the military dictatorship that reigned with terror from 1960 to 1966. if a picture can tell 1,000 words, can a documentary bring a dictator to justice? yates is revisiting the story in her latest film and here is part of her journey. >> i hadn't touched these rolls of film for decades, and the memories came flooding back. >> i remember clearly why i went. the anger at my own country, the united states, for being on the wrong side of so many conflicts. since 1954, the u.s.ç had propd up military governments in g

david chafin runs a critic for addicts in the heart of appalachia. >> the most common problem in pregnancy area right now by far and away is addiction. swamps everything else. >> reporter: logan is one month old. he's stiff and cries easily. his symptoms could last for months and doctors worry about what will lhappen to all of thee babies when their mothers take them home. >> one of the reasons we keep them for so long is because they're difficult babies. i've got a woman with no coping skips that takes drugs going home with a baby that's very difficult to deal with. >> reporter: amber smith is one of the mothers. logan is her fourth child, the second to go through withdrawal. do you feel -- i ask this because i'm a mom, i would feel really guilty if i did something i felt like i hurt my baby. >> i cried for days. i want to hold him and tell him how sorry i was. >> reporter: who do you blame? >> i don't blame anybody. >> reporter: it would be easy to blame the moms? >> yeah. you just have to work with them to take good care of their baby and to hope that they get treatment themselves and t

people in appalachia. people who haver in had a voice in congress.ressional black caucus has filled that void and that need. so it's important for candidates to talk about our national agenda, as an american agenda. but also the unfinished business of america. and much of that unfinished business has to do with income inequality and racial inequality and we cannot let that be swept under the rug. >> what will romney say to the naacp on wednesday? >> i can't wait. i think his message has to be two fold. he has to figure out a way to connect with the african-american community and i'm not sure he is hitting on all of those. i can imagine hitting on the african-american mormon community. he has to do something about the economy, first of all, and secondarily, where is his terms in place of poverty, inequal fooe, racial injustice. >> come on, if anybody -- look -- even if he came with like i have changed my mind, and i am all policies now will be made solely for the interest of african-american voters, don't you think people would be like, that's nice. h