I am writing to address the politicians of Maine about the drug epidemic in our state. People’s lives are at stake every day.
Quoting the Portland Press Herald (Dec. 6): “Drug overdose deaths in Maine, through the first nine months of 2016, have surpassed the total for all of 2015 as the opioid epidemic continues to worsen. Mainers have died in record numbers, with 286 fatalities through Sept. 30, according to statistics released Monday (Dec. 5) by the state Attorney General’s Office.”
I have seen this first hand: I was a registered nurse for 13 years. It is horrifying to see this happen when more needs to be done.
The American Medical Association classifies addiction as a disease. It’s not a moral choice, as people believe.
People don’t choose to have heart disease or cancer; nor do they choose to be an addict. People need detoxification, treatment and long-term help, not punishment.
In my opinion, we will never win the so-called war on drugs, but people need help. Let’s do something to keep people from dying.
Michael Tetreault
Lewiston
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