Every day we keep reading about pharmacy robberies in Maine. We have all seen the increase, but no one is addressing where this problem starts. First clue, prescription drugs. I’m pretty sure prescriptions come from doctors.

I know there are many of you who have been affected by this, or know someone who has. We have a governor’s office that says this needs to be addressed by a committee of doctors and law enforcement. Really? How about a committee of ex-abusers, families of abusers and pharmacists?

How about the fact that doctors prescribe these drugs freely and often, even after being notified that there is an issue and then at some point change their mind, cut that addicted person off with no follow up and set them loose in society, panicked, sick, withdrawing and desperate.

You suppose that is why pharmacies are being robbed? The rise in other crimes, home invasions, domestic abuse that keep appearing daily in our newspapers — I’m pretty sure a lot of these go hand in hand with desperate addicts created by doctors who prescribe these drugs because there is no accountability for them.

I found the following bill, which by the way died, that was an attempt to address this issue on the federal level. It’s called the Ryan Creedin Act of 2011 (H.R. 866 112th). So I am on a personal mission to address this, I would love to hear from anyone affected by this problem. I will keep your name confidential, but I need to gather information, we need to start somewhere.

I’m starting here. I have also started a Facebook group called YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO IT ALONE.

I have sent this to our governor’s office, representatives and senators, every newspaper in this state and WLBZ and WABI TV. Let’s see who responds.

Darlene Dostie

Fairfield

Copy the Story Link