The Sanford Police Department sent out an alert on their Facebook page this week warning residents of a spike in overdoses in the city since the first of the year and they all have something in common.

There's no doubt the State of Maine has a drug problem. According to mainedrugdata.org, in 2021 the average number of overdoses per month was 658 During the first five months of 2022 there were an estimated 3,962 fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses statewide, of which 266 were confirmed fatal and 3,814.

The substance abuse crisis is real in Maine. There's no better movie that demonstrates what drug abuse through the use of opioids does to a person than Dopesick starring Michael Keaton who won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film in 2021.

According to the Sanford Police Department, the problem they're having is a spike in overdoses since January 1 from using a mix of heroin and fentanyl or a mix of cocaine and heroin. Police say that it is a "deadly batch" that could be circulating through the Sanford community.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, the State of Maine has resources that can help by calling 211. They offer information and referrals to a number of programs from outpatient treatment facilities to hospitalization options and they are able to refer you to local support groups, recovery services, continuing care programs, and supportive services such as child care, transportation, and parenting skills development.

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