There doesn’t seem to be a clear-cut reason as yet, but experts have theories.
Joe Lawlor
Staff Writer
Joe Lawlor writes about health and human services for the Press Herald. A 24-year newspaper veteran, Lawlor has worked in Ohio, Michigan and Virginia before relocating to Maine in 2013 to join the Press Herald. He is still considered “from away” but since then, he has learned what a “dooryard” is, eaten “whoopie pies” drank Moxie and boiled some “lobstahs.” The stories he enjoys most are when he learns something and meeting inspiring people.
He lives in South Portland - aka “SoPo” - with his wife, Melanie, and two school-age children.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Obama heroin treatment program sending $2.4 million to Maine
The money will fund substance abuse treatment programs in Portland, Bangor, Lincoln and Waterville.
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Posted inLocal & State, News
Drug overdose deaths surge by ‘shocking’ 31 percent in Maine
The state had a record 272 fatalities in 2015, continuing a steady climb since 2011 as heroin took a heavy toll in the streets and suburbs.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
Maine seeks new rules for prescribing opioids as way to combat heroin crisis
The LePage administration’s bill would require doctors to use a prescription monitoring program that’s now voluntary, and limit the supply of opiates for chronic pain to 15 days.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Falmouth psychiatrist put on probation after patient’s suicide
The mother of a patient who committed suicide by overdose says the doctor, who had lost his medical license in other states, over-prescribed drugs and got away with it.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Operation Hope helping addicts, but treatment depends on the charity of out-of-state programs
Scarborough police have connected 109 addicts with treatment since Oct. 1, often by finding beds in states as far away as California
Posted inLocal & State, News
Maine reports first case of Zika virus infection
A Hancock County resident who traveled to a Zika-affected country is the first person in the state to test positive.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
Susan Collins’ Senate committee on aging explores risks of opiate addiction
The special panel chaired by Collins focuses on high prescription rates for painkillers and federal survey questions that may encourage hospitals to dispense too many of them.
Posted inNews, Politics
Medicaid expansion supporters make sixth try to broaden Maine’s program
The LePage administration opposes the idea, but proponents are making another effort by tying expansion to fighting the state’s heroin problem and proposing small premiums for some.
Posted inLocal & State, News, Politics
Gov. LePage criticized for joke about Chinese investor before a crowd in Lewiston
Pretending to sneeze while pronouncing the investor’s name is seen as offensive by some in the Chinese-American community.