Fixing the Drug Problem

Gov. Paul LePage has made another statement that liberals across the country and especially here in Maine have severely criticized.  The governor was critical of primarily men from out of state coming here to sell their drugs, notably but not limited to heroin.  The governor also said that before many of them leave, they impregnate young Maine girls which creates even another problem.

The Maine Legislature, meanwhile, is trying to find a solution to Maine’s growing drug problem and ways to help addicts already affected.  That four plus million-dollar solution includes policing sales and providing help for those needing and wanting it.

The governor’s comments also led to at least an hour long discussion on the Ray Richardson Show on the WLOB radio network.  Included in the discussion were Richardson, of course, along with his guests, pharmacist Joseph Bruno of Community Pharmacies and Steve Webster, a retired South Portland police officer involved with drug prevention.

I can’t quote what the governor said directly, but the liberals are once again attacking him.  They are using their now very familiar race card calling what the governor said as “racist.”  It seems, of course, that anything not said by a liberal is simply racist.

According to both guests, four million dollars will fall far short of any lessening of the problem.  The Legislature wants to emphasize education and support for users.  It would like to base the reforms on what is being touted as a great success, the Project Hope offered by the Scarborough Police Department.  Project Hope simply asks users who want to get out of drug use by go to the Scarborough Police Station and ask for help.  They do not face arrest for the visit.  The police then find a rehabilitation facility somewhere in the country and helps pay for the user to get there to participate in rehab.

The answer to the problem, however, may not be in education and rehab.  Rather the Legislature itself perhaps holds a key to a resolution.  Pharmacist Bruno, himself a former legislator, indicated a major problem was the lack of control over doctors who way over prescribe powerful drugs to patients.  I didn’t take any notes as I should have, but he told of one physician who prescribed something like of a powerful narcotic of more than 400 pills a month.  And the only choice the issuing pharmacy had was to fill the prescription.

                   
That was just one example of how the laws seem to help out drug users.  Retired officer Webster also had several examples of how people abuse the use of drugs.  My interpretation of the discussion was that a good part of lessening of the overuse and non-necessary use of the drugs lies in the hands of the legislators, right in front of their own noses it seems. 

This is one part of the problem that could be addressed in one day by the legislators.  It is not the total solution, but reigning in the issuance of legal drugs might be an excellent start. 

Both Bruno and Webster are regular guests on WLOB radio’s Ray Richardson Show and both always offer very listenable opinions.  I’d like to hear more on this topic in a future session.

That other problem I mentioned in the beginning is the growing welfare one.  Many of those girls/women the drug sellers impregnate become part of our welfare system and we take care of them and their children for years down the road.

And finally back to Gov. Lepage’s comments.  It absolutely amazes me how the liberals have zero care about the contents on a remark, often time a truthful statement or, at the very least, an honest opinion, and all those attackers can do is attack the messengers.  No defense gets offered, just the playing of that very infamous card.

The governor, incidentally, today apologized saying the drug dealers often leave behind impregnated young white girls, the remark that probably led to the racist attack.  He said today he meant Maine women.

Dave