Westbrook, MAINE – The Maine Democratic Party is continuing its series of five key questions for Shawn Moody today by asking: Why doesn’t Shawn Moody support the use of the life-saving, anti-overdose medication naloxone to help save lives in the fight against the opioid epidemic?

Moody was the only gubernatorial candidate who refused to back the over-the-counter sale of naloxone, which can immediately reverse an opioid overdose, and instead appeared to side with Governor LePage who has worked against expanding access to the medication.More than a third of Mainers who died last year as a result of an opioid overdose had been administered naloxone, a sign that the medication is a critical tool in attempting to save lives. Even President Trump supports increasing access to it. 

          “Tackling Maine’s opioid epidemic is going to require a comprehensive approach that includes an improved focus on bolstering treatment options,” said Phil Bartlett, Chairman of the Maine Democratic Party. “And one step we can continue to take is to ensure that people have access to naloxone, which has the power to reverse an overdose. But rather than back the medication, like every other candidate in the race, Moody decided to stay quiet, putting his allegiance to Governor LePage ahead of the interests of Maine people. How can Mainers expect Moody to fight the drug epidemic when he’s not willing to take even the most basic step in voicing support for naloxone?”

Last week, the Maine Democratic Party (MDP) launched “5 Key Questions for Shawn Moody”. Throughout his primary campaign, Moody used every dodge in the book to avoid answering questions or taking stances on issues that matter to Maine families. In fact, the Bangor Daily News called Moody “light on policy” and said his campaign “has yielded few specific planks.” One Maine columnist even said Moody “has been studying at the Bruce Poliquin Duck-and-Cover School of Political Evasion” and that he was “not sure Moody knows what he really thinks.”

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