Bill sponsor Rep. Genevieve McDonald: Burdening someone with a criminal record does not stop people from using drugs. She lists the barriers it creates: to employment and stability.
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Chelsea Putnam, Maine Access Points: the community of people who use drugs deserve access to keep themselves well. Notes that hepatitis rates are rising in rural towns because they don't have access to clean supplies.
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Anna McConnell, Maine Access Points: our participants are criminalized for accessing this public health resource. Anna says the federal CDC recommends providing people with as many supplies as they need.
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Anna describes the choice participants face: Do I risk criminalization and jail time or keep reusing that syringe? Anna asks lawmakers to help save lives and stand on the side of justice and ensure the dignity and respect of all of our neighbors in Maine.
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Anna notes participants of syringe service providers increase their likelihood of seeking treatment by 5x.
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Craig Cardamone, counselor, notes people he's worked with who have gone to jail because of their drug use have had worse outcomes.
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Notes that people who participate in syringe service programs have better health outcomes and are more likely to seek recovery.
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Marshall Mercer, MERAP: substance use disorder is a public health issue, not a criminal issue. Safe supplies does not encourage drug use, but keep people alive until they are ready to seek recovery.
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Cathleen London, physician in Downeast: this approach that emphasizes punishment is just a failure. Until we move to harm reduction, we are going to see more deaths. The opposite of addiction is connection.
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Meagan Sway, ACLU: the laws criminalizing safe supplies were created 25 years ago. 25 years later we know better: criminalizing safe supplies has not made our communities safer. What does work? Harm reduction.
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Yet our laws make harm reduction practices, life saving public health measures, crimes. Criminalizing drug use is cruel. It disconnects people from their health care, families and place in the community—the very things they need to lead healthy lives.
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That's the end of the hearing. Rep. Warren notes: unanimous public support for LD 994.
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Say it with us folks: unanimous
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End of conversation
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