Opioid use and abuse is a national crisis that has taken its toll on small Maine communities. Among those hardest hit, are the small coastal communities that are the heart of Maines lobster and fishing industries. These areas are remote, and do not have the resources to deal with the opioid crisis as it continues to grow, which could have detrimental effects on an industry that makes up a large part of Maine’s economy. Further, while many lobstermen and fishermen suffer from opioid addiction, very few seek help or treatment for the disease. This comment suggests that the Maine judicial system can help ease the burden of the opioid crisis on these small communities through wrap-around drug courts that would comprehensively address all of the factors that lead to drug use and addiction. This comment concludes that a wrap-around drug court is the best way to address the opioid problem in lobstering communities for the following reasons: first, drug addiction increases the likelihood that someone will commit a crime and therefore come into contact with the court system; second, lobstering communities are remote, and access to treatment centers are limited; third, because of lobstering culture, it is unlikely that a lobsterman suffering from opioid addiction will seek treatment or help; and lastly there is support from the judiciary to implement wrap-around drug courts in secluded and hard hit areas of Maine.
Haley K. Hunter,
Why Coastal Maine Needs a Wrap Around Drug Court,
Ocean & Coastal L.J.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.mainelaw.maine.edu/oclj/vol25/iss2/3