According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Maine is among the 10 states in the country with the highest rate of opioid-related overdose deaths. In 2017, 418 people in our state died from drug overdoses, an 11 percent increase over the 376 overdose deaths in 2016, with opioids responsible for 354 of those deaths, according to official state statistics.

So, it is clearly a matter of importance that public officials give the highest priority to exploring solutions to opioid addiction in our state – important enough for our nation’s attorney general to travel to Portland recently to meet with law enforcement officials on the matter.

On July 18, the Bangor Daily News held a forum on this matter and invited experts on health and addiction, representatives of law enforcement, concerned family members and the public. Three of the four candidates for governor attended; however, Republican Shawn Moody did not. Where was he? Although he had initially agreed to come, he canceled in favor of attending a car show at which he unveiled a NASCAR race car decorated with his campaign slogan.

As his representative to the forum, Moody instead sent his campaign manager: Lauren LePage, daughter of our governor, who is well known for his foot-dragging on (if not outright hostility to) substantive solutions to the epidemic of drug addiction.

If there were a more deliberate double insult to the concerned group that met in Bangor, I cannot imagine one. Moody’s disgraceful lack of interest in one of the most important issues facing our state should outright disqualify him from the office he seeks.

Ellen D. Murphy

Portland

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