Sen. Richard Bennett (R-Oxford) sponsored a bill to combat the state’s opioid crisis by creating overdose prevention centers that give drug addicts a “safe” place to use illicit substances with no risk of legal consequences.
[RELATED: Maine Is Handing Out Free “Boofing” Kits to Help Fentanyl Addicts Squirt Drugs Up Their Butts…]
The bill, LD 755, allows towns and cities to approve the establishment of overdose prevention centers where “clients” (drug addicts) can inject fentanyl and various other drugs while being supervised by staff trained in resuscitating overdose victims.
Sen. Bennett’s bill notably drew support from only one Republican co-sponsor, Rep. David Woodsome (R-Waterboro), but garnered support from eight Democratic co-sponsors, including former House Speaker and current Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Cumberland).
The bill provides a wide range of protections to its “clients.” It grants them immunity from prosecution and prevents any civil action against them based on their drug use at the center. The bill specifies that a “client” cannot even face disciplinary action from a licensing board.
That provision would theoretically allow a doctor or surgeon to enter a “center,” shoot up fentanyl, and continue to practice medicine with the Medical Licensing Board powerless to take action, potentially putting patients at risk.
Bennett’s bill also provides immunity from any “employment action” based on activity at the center, suggesting that an employer would be unable to fire a worker if they learn that the employee is a fentanyl addict based on their use of the center.
Paroled criminals, released on the condition that they do not commit further crimes — such as illegal drug use — will be able to use drugs at the center without fear of repercussions for violating their conditional release.
Though the bill requires the centers to establish eligibility requirements for “clients,” it does not specify what those requirements should be. In its current form, the bill places no demands on “clients,” who can use the center as a place to get high with immunity before immediately returning to the streets to illegally acquire more drugs.
The bill does lay out numerous requirements for the centers themselves. A municipality can only choose to establish a center following a hearing to allow the public to express their concerns.
Centers must provide referrals to various healthcare and recovery centers, conduct community cleanups of litter and discarded hypodermic needles, establish relationships with the nearest hospitals, and listen to complaints from neighboring businesses and homes.
They are also required to provide annual reports, including the number of clients, the number of overdoses, and the number of clients referred to other services. An independent organization would then conduct a peer-reviewed study of the annual report to determine the effects of the center on the surrounding community and its general efficacy.
The bill does not come with any fiscal note and does not specify whether the centers will be funded by state or local taxpayers. The text mentions that the peer-reviewed studies will be funded through grants and private donations, though it is unclear whether that will be the funding model for the centers broadly.
A 2022 study conducted on a similar program in New York City found a general decrease in overdose risk and a potential drop in public drug use. The study notably only examined the first two months of a center’s operation and did not examine the impact on the community at large or drug-related crime.
A similar measure in Oregon, decriminalizing drug use, proved disastrous for communities.
Vancouver, Canada, has long had supervised injection sites, but, despite some positive studies, law enforcement warned that the sites led to more disorder on the city streets.
The Maine Wire reached out to Bennett for comment, but he did not immediately respond.
The Legislative Committee on Health and Human Services initially considered the bill, but referred it to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety following a Tuesday work session.
This is INSANE……Maine is lost at sea and heading into an iceberg. WTF is going on in Augusta?
Never voted for the guy. He’s a Snowe/Collins type of Republican.
FEMA camps make great overdose prevention centers.
Marshall law must be declared in Maine at this point, it’s the only way to save the State
The guy clearly knows nothing about the disaster this has been in other areas and he knows no addicts.
This is ridiculous
“Paroled criminals, released on the condition that they do not commit further crimes — such as illegal drug use — will be able to use drugs at the center without fear of repercussions for violating their conditional release.”
Most help full bright bulb!
Jack ass !
No! San Francisco tried this and it was a complete disaster! Are you people complete idiots?! DO NOT entertain this idea any longer.
Great idea, supervised death and no repercussions, why not, In Portland people get run over twice and nothing happens, oh wait the city council passed an ordinance. That will help. No joke man!
Maine is truly lost if this passes. I grew up with little Ricky. He was a dumb-asses pussy back then. He is truly a Collin’s republican. Too interested in being liked by the other party. I wonder what effect this would have on employers that have random drug screening. Just think one of these people could be driving the big rig next to you. Or in the school with your kids. Or working in hospital. Or fixing your automobile. I know we talk about voting these people out but I’m not it’s possible anymore.
Writing a bill to make a law to shield people who break the law is insane.
Yeah, sounds about right, another misguided decision from the same worthless politician, a SO-CALLED Republican, who was instrumental in canceling the property tax freeze for long time elderly Mainers verses spending curtailment. You and others like you in Augusta have put my wife and I deeper into the poor house. Thanks for nothing, Mr. Bennett !!
Is he an idiot? Has he looked at California ? Are members of the Maine GOP this dumb except for Laurel Libby and Reagan Paul? What good is the GOP leadership if they can not control this kind of stupid? Then they wonder why no one votes, its because of morons like this!!!
My taxes are going to pay for a place to use dope ? I don’t think so !
Go out back and sit in a mud puddle behind that dumpster .
Don’t use MY taxes for this !
Absolutely not. Stupid is as stupid does. We have a raging problem across this world of NORMALIZING HUMAN ADDICTIONS. Stop mollycoddling and enabling these drug addled souls. They are victims of their own ADDICT FUELED CHOICES. Tempting them is cruel. Get to the root cause of addiction to sex, drugs and alcohol. Cut off supply. Prosecute perpetrators. Tough love the afflicted with REALISTIC MEDICAL withdrawal programs. We have more empathy for homeless pets than we do for our human community. End this Mills DRUG/THUG ideology and begin to make Maine Grand again for our future generations to thrive in America.
I seem to be the person informed of the NH Drug Cartel and their $937billion annual laundering of international money from drugs and human trafficking. They own rehab centers, hospitals, pharmacies, make fentanyl in Boston and sell it to medical centers and doctors. Gill has fought them for 19 years and fully documented all the incidents and players. He says they own the legislators and governors of VT, NH, and ME. He has had 3 murder attempts and moves from place to place. His 3″ stack of documentation he calls -Pandora’s Box , is a further delineation of the Panama Papers. His you tube channel remains in place-State of Corruption NH, which is a compilation of his systematic investigation and confrontations with the major players.His recent reviews are found on Bitchute. MikeGill44. Please look further into the motivations and funding behind the subject of this story.
The correct link is-MikeGill44, on Rumble, not Bitchute.
This has failed everywhere it’s been tried.
It will pass due to the democrats propensity for insanity.
Who voted for this guy? Is Bennet really a Republican?
“The Maine Wire reached out to Bennett for comment, but he did not immediately respond.” Maybe he will respond when he comes down….
Great idea. We’ll set up in the rotunda at the capital right next to a open air abortion table and taco stand. This way the elected morons can witness their work.
disgusting!! the drug epidemic we face is a delibrite act of war by a foriegn adversasy!! these selected and not elected politicians are aiding and abetting the slow methodical commie take over of our country!!
This is sheer insanity. Bennett just lost my vote and every person I know is getting this article link. He must be getting $$ from the NH drug cartel. Too bad, I thought he was a good guy.
Wonder if Rick is trying to expand his base for a run for Governor next year……
Make sure to read the “related item” from last summer on “boofing,” which I completely missed when it ran last summer.
We are a nation, a state, and towns gone mad.
Bennett is a RINO, like Susan Collins who he used to work for.
Has Rick been dropped on his head?
What everyone needs to remember about Bennett is that he does NOTHING that doesn’t put money in his pocket …. He must be invested in some way that benefits him financially for him to submit this Bill .
Bennett must be a rino. This is crazy. I suppose the state will supply the drugs too.
Stop with the stupid new laws, we don’t need any new legislation, just vote no on whatever new proposal comes along, c’mon man enough is enough!! No joke!
Fools. Encourage it and you’ll have more of it. Rino!
Underaged drinking is a problem in Maine.
So why don’t we approach it this way — tell the high school kids it is ok to get drunk in the state-sponsored safe drinking party.
Just beyond stupid, can’t find medical staff to fill what is available now and now we will be paying more so the junkies can get high, arrest the dealers and give them actual prison time,
Typical example of a progressive looser. Too bad ,another R that needs to be educated on values. Oldbev