To: The Maine State House, The Maine State Senate, and Governor Janet Mills
Maine State Legislature, Governor LePage: Act Now To Curb the Rising Tide of Drug Overdose Deaths
Drug overdose deaths continue to rise throughout Maine as rates of heroin use surge throughout the state. A death every other day is NOT good enough. Maine can do better. Act now to address this public health emergency and curb drug overdose deaths by supporting An Act To Prevent Drug Overdose Deaths By Enhancing Access to Naloxone Hydrochloride AND An Act Providing a Good Samaritan Defense To Individuals Reporting A Drug Overdose.
Why is this important?
In 2013 Maine lost 176 people to drug overdoses. This is roughly one person every other day. This is due in part to a surge in heroin use, causing overdose deaths from heroin to rise over 400% during 2013. Last year the legislature passed important measures to curb this frightening trend. But it’s not enough.
This year the Legislature and the Governor’s office will be considering common sense policies that will curb the meteoric rise in overdose deaths. These policies will enhance access to emergency medical services and Naloxone, a medication that temporarily reverses an overdose.
Tell the Governor and the Legislature that we have to do MORE to address this public health emergency. Tell them that a death every other day is not good enough. Tell them to support Good Samaritan provisions and enhancing access to Naloxone!!!
These policies will help save lives, reducing the number of avoidable deaths due to drug overdose each year and preserving our youth, our veterans and other populations that tend to be tragically impacted by drug use and overdose.
An Act To Prevent Drug Overdose Deaths By Enhancing Access to Naloxone Hydrochloride:
Naloxone is what is called an opioid antagonist. It has no other use than to counteract the effects of an overdose. It produces no high, has no street value and no effect on an individual unless they have opioids in their system. What's more, studies have found that its distribution has no impact on rates of substance abuse - it does NOT increase how many people are abusing drugs.
LD 1047 would enhance access to Naloxone by decreasing barriers to getting, using and dispensing this overdose remedy. Allowing for access through non-medical settings would make sure that this life-saving medication was in the right place at the right time.
An Act Providing a Good Samaritan Defense To Individuals Reporting A Drug Overdose:
Good Samaritan provisions have been passed throughout the U.S. to ensure that people feel safe calling for emergency medical assistance in the event of a drug overdose. In many situations people afraid of being reported to law enforcement due to drug use or possession avoid seeking medical help, increasing the risk of a fatal drug overdose. By providing limited protections for those seeking medical assistance this bill would ensure that people are not punished for attempting to save a life, and are not afraid to ask for help.
The difference between life and death can be as much as a few minutes. Every minute wasted could be a life lost. Tell the Governor and the Legislature that we do not want to lose any more lives to drugs. Tell them to support An Act To Prevent Drug Overdose Deaths By Enhancing Access to Naloxone Hydrochloride AND An Act Providing a Good Samaritan Defense To Individuals Reporting A Drug Overdose.
This year the Legislature and the Governor’s office will be considering common sense policies that will curb the meteoric rise in overdose deaths. These policies will enhance access to emergency medical services and Naloxone, a medication that temporarily reverses an overdose.
Tell the Governor and the Legislature that we have to do MORE to address this public health emergency. Tell them that a death every other day is not good enough. Tell them to support Good Samaritan provisions and enhancing access to Naloxone!!!
These policies will help save lives, reducing the number of avoidable deaths due to drug overdose each year and preserving our youth, our veterans and other populations that tend to be tragically impacted by drug use and overdose.
An Act To Prevent Drug Overdose Deaths By Enhancing Access to Naloxone Hydrochloride:
Naloxone is what is called an opioid antagonist. It has no other use than to counteract the effects of an overdose. It produces no high, has no street value and no effect on an individual unless they have opioids in their system. What's more, studies have found that its distribution has no impact on rates of substance abuse - it does NOT increase how many people are abusing drugs.
LD 1047 would enhance access to Naloxone by decreasing barriers to getting, using and dispensing this overdose remedy. Allowing for access through non-medical settings would make sure that this life-saving medication was in the right place at the right time.
An Act Providing a Good Samaritan Defense To Individuals Reporting A Drug Overdose:
Good Samaritan provisions have been passed throughout the U.S. to ensure that people feel safe calling for emergency medical assistance in the event of a drug overdose. In many situations people afraid of being reported to law enforcement due to drug use or possession avoid seeking medical help, increasing the risk of a fatal drug overdose. By providing limited protections for those seeking medical assistance this bill would ensure that people are not punished for attempting to save a life, and are not afraid to ask for help.
The difference between life and death can be as much as a few minutes. Every minute wasted could be a life lost. Tell the Governor and the Legislature that we do not want to lose any more lives to drugs. Tell them to support An Act To Prevent Drug Overdose Deaths By Enhancing Access to Naloxone Hydrochloride AND An Act Providing a Good Samaritan Defense To Individuals Reporting A Drug Overdose.