Westbrook, MAINE – Maine Democratic Party Chairman Phil Bartlett issued the following statement today after Republican Governor Paul LePage vetoed Speaker Sara Gideon’s bipartisan legislation that would allow for people under the age of 21 to have access to the life-saving, anti-overdose medication naloxone:
“Drug overdoses know no bounds and getting naloxone into the hands of more people would only have the result of saving more lives. But rather than work with the State Legislature to accomplish this, Governor LePage continues to demonstrate his singular ignorance surrounding this life-saving medication – and it’s going to cost Maine people their lives. This veto is yet another painful reminder that Governor LePage is the biggest obstacle to addressing Maine’s opioid crisis.
“The Maine Democratic Party calls on Republicans in the State House to join with Democrats to overturn the governor’s veto and extend access to this medication to those who need it.”
Speaker Gideon’s bipartisan bill arose in the wake of an unexpected and unnecessary move by the Chair of the Maine Board of Pharmacy, Joe Bruno, who, at the last minute, raised the age of people able to purchase naloxone from 18 to 21.
Bruno alleged that the change, which came after Governor LePage stalled the rules for five months, was a pragmatic move to garner Governor LePage’s approval. However, Governor LePage - whose ideological opposition to naloxone is shared by nearly no one – had previously said that he didn’t need to approve the rules for the law to move forward. Bruno is a big financial backer of both Paul LePage and Republican gubernatorial candidate Shawn Moody, the only Republican candidate who has not broken with LePage to call for the rules to move forward.
Even President Donald Trump supports increasing access to naloxone, traveling to New Hampshire last month to announce the creation of a program aimed at providing free doses of the life-saving, anti-overdose medication naloxone to high schools, colleges, and universities – making him the latest Republican to disagree with Governor Paul LePage’s opposition to expanding access to the drug.
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