Tuesday’s announcement came on International Overdose Awareness Day. The state lost a record 502 people to drug overdoses last year, and the numbers so far this year suggest that will be eclipsed.
opioid epidemic
Posted inLocal & State, News
Shortage of naloxone hinders addiction treatment in Maine
Supplies of the lifesaving anti-overdose drug are stretched nationwide, putting pressure on Maine treatment centers.
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Posted inLocal & State
Maine first state to roll out text alerts when drug overdoses spike
A pilot program started by the state will let anyone with a cellphone receive free text messages alerting them to an increase in overdoses in their area and the potential that a deadly batch of drugs is on the market.
Posted inHealth, Local & State, News
Maine expanding opioid treatment during wave of overdose deaths
Gov. Janet Mills says at Maine’s third Opioid Response Summit that isolation caused by the pandemic and resulting mental health challenges contributed to more substance use.
Posted inNation & World, Uncategorized
U.S. overdose deaths hit record 93,000 in pandemic last year
‘COVID has greatly exacerbated the crisis,’ says a public health researcher who tracks overdose trends.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Drug overdose deaths continue to rise at record pace in Maine
The latest figures indicate that Mainers with substance use disorder continue to struggle with the effects of the pandemic, putting 2021 on pace to surpass the record deaths in 2020.
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: Criminal justice reforms atop Maine Legislature’s 2021 achievements
Now Gov. Mills should sign bills that would close Long Creek, end cash bail and decriminalize drug possession.
Posted inNation & World
Opioids rip through U.S. workforce, with deaths at record level
Opioids are behind about three-fourths of the overdoses, according to Wednesday’s data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Posted inKennebec Journal, Local & State
Augusta councilors get Narcan, training to help prevent drug overdose deaths
Maine Access Points, a group working to increase access to medication that can help prevent overdose deaths, trained city councilors Thursday night on how to take potentially life-saving action.
Posted inMaine Voices, Op-Eds, Opinion
Maine Voices: We need a public health approach to substance use
L.D. 967, L.D. 994 and LR 1817 would prioritize the health and well-being of our neighbors and community members, not their punishment.