No one should die or have their life derailed because they, or someone they love, uses drugs. But that is what is happening in Maine because of criminalization: There are very real economic and social costs because Maine criminalizes drug use and possession. We talked to more than 150 people — those who have been arrested for drug crimes, their family members as well as prosecutors, defense attorneys, treatment providers, and harm reduction workers.

This report is a joint project of the ACLU of Maine and the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP). Winifred Tate, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Colby College, is the report’s lead author. Meagan Sway, Policy Director at the ACLU of Maine, and James Myall, Economic Policy Analyst at Maine Center for Economic Policy, are
co-authors.

The full report:

Coverage in Colby News: https://news.colby.edu/story/a-push-to-change-maines-drug-laws/