The drug overdose mortality rate in Maine is stable

According to the Maine Attorney General's Office, drug overdoses continued to make nearly one life a day in Maine during the first six months of 2018.

There were 180 overdose deaths in Maine until June 30, which is slightly lower than the 185 drug-related deaths reported for the same period last year. Once again, the potent fentanyl, synthetic opioid, remains the leading cause of death, causing 61% of these 180 deaths, compared to 26% of other opioid drugs.

"One of the most heartbreaking parts of my job is seeing first-hand the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic on Maine families and communities," said Attorney General Janet Mills in a statement. "With almost one person a day dying from the dangers of addiction, we need a stronger sense of urgency to take meaningful action regarding this public health crisis."

There have been at least 418 overdose deaths throughout Maine in 2017, although researcher Marcella Sorg of Margaret Chase Smith's political center of the University of Maine, who compiled the overdose figures for the office of Mills, and Maine generally records higher figures in the last six months of the year than the first six months.

This story will be updated.

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