To: The Maine State House, The Maine State Senate, and Governor Janet Mills

Governor LePage , Maine Lawmakers: Curb the rising tide of drug overdose deaths, support LD 1686

Victory! The creator of this petition declared the campaign a success. You can still sign the petition to show support.

With an average of 170 deaths per year, Maine loses roughly one person every other day to a drug overdose. By expanding access to naloxone, we will better ensure that it is in the right place at the right time to reverse an opioid overdose. Maine cannot afford NOT to do something about this public health emergency. Support L.D. 1686 and curb the rising tide of drug overdose deaths afflicting Maine citizens.

Why is this important?

Since 2009 Maine has lost an average of 170 people per year to drug overdoses. This is roughly one person every other day. This bill would help to save hundreds of lives over the next decade.

Given your privileged position on the front lines of the drug abuse epidemic you are all too aware of the toll that drug use takes in human lives. Often, you are the first on the scene to a drug overdose. You've probably seen this problem grow worse and worse over the years. And now, with the influx of heroin, overdose deaths have become a public health emergency.

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 1686 would expand access to Naloxone. It would enable this life-saving drug to be in the right place at the right time. It would enable law-enforcement, EMTs and others likely to be the first on the scene to carry and administer Naloxone to save someone's life. It would allow family and friends of persons with addiction issues to possess and administer Naloxone to save their son, daughter, husband or wife.

As law enforcement officials you are dedicated to saving lives and protecting the public. That is just what this bill does.