Hike in overdose deaths spurs support for Rep. Anne Perry’s bill
by Ruth Leubecker
As the death toll linked to the opioid epidemic in Maine mounts annually, a new approach is being considered amidst a mixed reaction to the surge.
With decades of medical experience as a legislator and as a nurse practitioner, Rep. Anne Perry (D-Calais) has proposed LD 967, which would decriminalize drug possession in small amounts. While the bill does not specify the amounts, Perry calls this a first step toward extending a lifeline to those with substance use disorder.