Taking aim at decades of failed “War on Drugs” policies, Maine lawmakers are introducing legislation that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of certain drugs, remove criminal penalties for possession or exchange of some drug paraphernalia and reform the state’s drug sentencing laws. That effort comes after a similar bill last session died when| Maine Beacon - A project of the Maine People's Alliance
As part of a slate of bills to move away from failed “War on Drug” policies, Maine lawmakers heard a measure Friday that would reform the state’s felony drug trafficking law so that people can no longer be charged with a crime that can carry a sentence of up to 30 years simply for possessing| Maine Beacon - A project of the Maine People's Alliance
Over 500 Mainers. That’s how many people died of drug overdoses in 2020, setting a new record in the state. Pointing to that grim tally and the large number of people incarcerated for drug-related charges, lawmakers, doctors and Mainers in recovery from substance use disorder argued Friday that criminalizing drug possession is not working, urging| Maine Beacon - A project of the Maine People's Alliance