When the coronavirus reached Maine in 2020, we were already in the midst of a public health emergency: The alarming rise in overdose fatalities. Last year, we saw the most overdose deaths to date: 502 Mainers lost their lives.

The Maine Recovery Advocacy Project has issued a renewed call for urgency to reduce the number of overdoses by prioritizing legislative efforts that will increase access to naloxone, reduce stigma associated with substance use and expand recovery centers across the state.

Our organizers bring their experiences to the organization and have had personal encounters with naloxone, the lifesaving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Their stories are a reminder that naloxone must be made available to everyone.

Ryan was revived with naloxone in September of 2019. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be here to take care of his three children, run his business or be an advocate for the recovery community.

Marshall was pronounced dead in 2013 before he was given naloxone and CPR. If it wasn’t for that intervention, Marshall wouldn’t be married and running a recovery center.

Marshall’s and Ryan’s stories are not uncommon. Efforts to distribute naloxone have expanded in the last two years thanks to grassroots organizing, but lawmakers will have an opportunity to expand access further this legislative session. Representative Sam Zager’s bill will allow EMTs to distribute the medication to community members. This bill is an important step and should be passed immediately.

Zoe Brokos,
Maine Recovery Advocacy Project Organizer
Portland

« Previous

Letter to the Editor: Global action needed to stop Syrian atrocities

Next »

Letter to the Editor: White people need to learn about race