Report: Coronavirus pandemic results in substantial boost in deadly drug overdoses in Maine
A brand-new report states the variety of drug overdoses is growing in Maine, and it’s linked to the coronavirus pandemicAccording to the report put together by the University of Maine’s Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, 127 deaths were caused by drugs in the first 4 months of 2020, a 23 percent boost over the last 4 months of2019 82 percent of those deaths were brought on by at least one opioid, according to the report, while 80 percent were brought on by 2 or more drugs.That trend is continuing to climb up, as initial research suggests a total of 235 drug overdose deaths in the first half of the year.Attorney General Aaron Frey said the information shows the opioid epidemic remains a crisis that needs