I graduated from high school a decade ago, and during my life, I’ve seen an epidemic of addiction develop because corrupt corporations wanted to make more profit. I’ve also seen how a policy that criminalizes drug use has made friends’ lives harder and painful. I know people in recovery, and I know others who still need help or didn’t survive. Some of my loved ones used drugs behind closed doors: You do, too. Criminalized drug policy affects all of us.

Harsh drug laws have ruined communities. People who use drugs face a violent criminal justice system for just trying to survive. Drug users are prosecuted for felonies if they carry an amount over a threshold of any given drug, or have more than 11 syringes in Maine. Racism informs these policies. In 2018, Black people made up about 1 percent of Maine’s population but accounted for 21 percent of Class A felony drug arrests.

Felonies follow people for their entire lives – a felony conviction limits where people can work and makes it harder to find housing or use public services. There isn’t evidence these penalties create conditions for recovery for drug users.

Three bills in the Maine Legislature would create programs that address these issues. LR 1817, L.D. 994 and L.D. 967 should all be passed in the Legislature for a more humane drug policy. My friends could more easily receive the help they need, get jobs they are qualified for and use the public assistance they’ve paid taxes for.

Tyler Kalahar
Portland

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