April 9, 2015 Meeting of West Bay Rotary
Despite 5” of snow, a large audience appeared for today's speaker. President-elect Lisa Sojka lead the meeting in President Tim Dresser's absence.
Etienne Perret introduced Ira Mandel, today's speaker. Ira is a member of the club, back from winter leave. He is a doctor and lives with his wife Rebecca in Camden.
He was recently interviewed for an MPBN series on drug addition in Maine, and is in Part 3 of the 5-part series that recently aired. Since retiring from full-time practice at Pen Bay several years ago, he has begun a part-time practice that involves two-days per week working with opiate-addicted people.
Maine has one of the worst narcotic addiction rates in New England. He feels there is not enough treatment in this state, and that we all need to become better educated about the issue. Maine tops the nation in prescription drug abuse. An estimated10% of young adults in Maine are drug addicted, and first use is around age 15, on average. Over 900 babies were born drug-addicted in Maine. Rockland is what he described as the “epicenter” for heroine in Maine. Oxycontin is also a big problem.
He talked about the current administration's approach, which is increasing law-enforcement and decreasing support for methadone patients, but not increasing funding for treatment or prevention. The governor vetoed legislation that would have allowed Narcan administration for overdosing patients. Dr. Mandel feels there is a lack of understanding of and/or compassion for the people who are drug addicted and the issues that impact their use.
He shared what he knows about local private treatment at places like Borden Center. He and Dr. Mark Jensen in Lincolnville are the only two physicians that offer treatment in this area.
There are only 15 doctors in Maine that prescribe suboxone, although 150 are certified to do so.
He talked about Vermont's drug situation, which is similar to Maine's. He talked about a movie, the Hungry Heart, about a doctor in Vermont that discovered many of his pediatric patients had later become drug-addicted and the movie centers on them and his suboxone treatment of them and their lives and some of their untimely deaths. Vermont is focusing on prevention and treatment outside of incarceration. 80% of incarcerated people are addicted or incarcerated because of their addiction. He described the profound behavior shift for addicted people based on nerve pathways and neurotransmitters that occurs because of drug use.
Buckets are for Make A Wish. Bob Rubin was sponsored by Terry Bregy and inducted as a member of West Bay. Bob was a member at one time.
President-elect Doris Vortz from the Rockland Club came to encourage participation in their fishing tournament to win an overnight at the Flume Cottage.
Ken Gardiner shared that there are 17 sponsors for the Duck Derby, and Peter Berke indicated that the tickets will be available next week at the meeting and each member will have books to sell.
Barbara Heard reminded us about the Progressive Dinner on Saturday May 16, and the clipboard will be circulated at meetings for people to sign up.
April 25 is Ewaste and shredding, and there will be flyers next week for people to take and place around town.
Next week's speaker is Debora Fink giving her classification talk.