In honor of National Recovery Month this September, I’m writing to support policies that promote recovery and end stigma for substance use.

When I was 25, I entered recovery. It’s one of the hardest things I have ever done. If I had been arrested and had to go to jail, I am sure I would not have 38 years of sobriety. I would have had a completely different life.

Many of us know someone who has died from an overdose or has substance use disorder, and we all want our loved ones, neighbors and communities to thrive and be healthy.

But because we treat substance use as a crime, we drive our loved ones and neighbors who use drugs away from recovery. Arrest, jail time and a criminal record create barriers to recovery: barriers to health care, housing, employment and community.

We need to change our drug laws if we want to save lives. We need to support policies that expand recovery services and end criminal punishment of people who use drugs.

During the last session, L.D. 967, a bill that would have stopped punishing people for substance use and instead would have created a pathway to recovery, passed in the House but failed in the Senate. The bill had overwhelming support from people in recovery, harm-reduction providers and medical doctors.

I hope lawmakers will use Recovery Month to listen to those people. I hope lawmakers will support policies like L.D. 967 in the future, and provide people with hope and compassion instead of punishment and stigma.

Wendy Keeler
Cape Elizabeth

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