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Morality Trumps Mortality in Maine - Addicts Left to Die in Alleys


It Could be your Child, Mother, Father, Sister or Brother

Overview

Originally Published: 05/18/2017

Post Date: 05/19/2017

by Channel 8 News Maine | Tim Cheney


Summary/Abstract

Maine Bill LD 1375 -  An Act To Prevent Overdose Deaths and Infectious Diseases by Establishing Safer Drug Use Facilities - was shot down by the Health and Human Services Committee. 

Content

Bill would create monitored drug-use facilities in Maine to prevent overdoses ~ 

Shortly after this interview took place the Health and Human Services Committee shot down Bill 1375. Thousands of people die needlessly each year due to moralism rooted in 18th century religious dogma. We are in the 21st century yet we are using an 1800's road map to navigate through this nightmare spawned by the opioid epidemic. Lives are lost, families destroyed, children orphaned because addiction is still viewed by the majority as volitional misconduct rather than as a disease as defined by WHO, the AMA, the CDC and the American Society for Addiction Medicine and countless medical and scientific scholars from around the world. The jury is in and it finds the addict not guilty.

Our elected officials have an ethical and fiduciary responsibility to their constituents to provide legislation that ensures the preservation of human life. They should not be empowered to enact or deny legislation on issues they have little or no knowledge nor should their vote be influenced by loss of political capital. The greatest good for the greatest number should be the true north on their moral compass.

We have failed these people who suffer from a biopsychosocial disorder.  We have abandoned them to suffer and to die alone in a public bathroom or an alley. In my book this constitutes wanton disregard and meets the statutory code for negligent manslaughter and reckless endangerment.

Involuntary Manslaughter

In the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to a felony, or in the commission in an unlawful manner, or without due caution and circumspection, of a lawful act which might produce death.  

Reckless endangerment 

the crime recognized in some jurisdictions of behaving indifferently to the consequences in such a way as to create a substantial risk of serious physical injury or death to another person

~Tim Cheney ~



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