The Addictions Academy: Should All Addicts Just Drop Dead? Let’s Ask Maine’s Governor Paul LaPage.
Maine’s outspoken Governor Paul LaPage, has once again caused an uproar by vetoing a bill that could have saved thousands of lives by allowing pharmacists to dispense naloxone, the drug that reverses the effects of opiates, to those who are in danger of overdosing or have loved ones who are in danger of overdosing. Not only did Governor LaPage veto the bill, but in a written statement and explanation he stated that naloxone only “perpetuates the cycle of addiction” and doesn’t save lives but only “extends the addicts life until the next overdose.” These aren’t the only statements LaPage made on this subject. He also encouraged people to shoot drug dealers and that another huge problem is that “these drug dealers are impregnating our young white girls.”
There are stories after stories of people who had naloxone save them from an early grave and sent them into full recovery. So maybe LaPage should rethink his ridiculous statements. Maybe he should take the blinders off and realize that maybe one of his staff is one of these people he considers “out of reach” and not worth saving. Maybe in the near future it could be a family member or friend. Maybe it will take something like that to make him realize just how ridiculous his statements are.
Here at Top Rated Addiction Recovery and Sober Coaching Services we have worked with recovering addicts who have been given Narcan and some have cleaned up completely and gone on to live a productive life and some have relapsed or overdosed again. That is just the nature of addiction. But one thing we believe in is that every life is worth saving.