I grew up in Lewiston, surrounded by my large Franco-American family. I was an only child, but I had grandparents, my cousins, and my aunts in town — nearly 50 of them live in the Lewiston area to this day.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite family members to hang out with was my cousin Sam. He was like a brother to me, and we grew up riding bikes, building forts, playing Sonic the Hedgehog on his Sega Genesis.

We were the same in a lot of ways, and later on in life we shared similar struggles with depression and substance use. But because Sam used opioids while I used alcohol, our experiences were very different. Because opioid use is so stigmatized, while I had access to support, he had little. And today, I’m alive. And Sam is dead.

My cousin died in August 2021, alone in his home, due to an accidental drug poisoning. His body wasn’t discovered until five days after his death. He was 34 years old when he died, leaving behind a son.

Last year, more than 700 people died from overdose, like my cousin. They were our sisters, brothers, co-workers, neighbors, parents, and children. And if we treated Substance Use Disorder like what it is — a public health issue — all of those people, including Sam, could still be alive today.

I strongly believe that if Sam had more access to community and to supportive people to turn to about his challenges with drug use, things would have turned out differently. This is why I support harm reduction health centers.

Harm reduction health centers are sites where people can use previously-obtained drugs under medical supervision. At the same time, they can receive disease screenings and other health care services, as well as options to begin recovery.

If Sam had been at a harm reduction health center on the day he overdosed, it’s likely that he would not have died that day. In fact, no death has been reported at an injection site. That’s in contrast to the 716 people who died from overdose last year in Maine. Harm reduction health centers save lives.

There are more than 200 harm reduction health centers around the world — including in New York City, Rhode Island, and soon, Minnesota — and numerous studies have shown that they improve health outcomes, reduce overdose deaths, and increase access to health services. These centers save lives.

A bill now in the Legislature, LD 1364, would allow cities and towns in Maine to open harm reduction health centers if they choose to, after an approval process that involves a public meeting.

This means that those communities who want to open harm reduction health centers can do so — but those who don’t want to are under no obligation. The bill legally protects the employees and clients of the center, along with the municipality where it’s located. The centers won’t cost the state money because the centers will be federally funded. And, absolutely most importantly, harm reduction health centers in Maine will save lives.

No matter who we are or what our lives have been like, we’re all human, and almost all of us are touched in some way by the opioid crisis. Most Mainers believe that people who use drugs should not be treated as criminals, and that substance use disorder should be treated as a public health issue. Our Legislature has a chance right now to make a real move toward creating a world where we care for one another.

Genevieve Lysen is the Organizing Director for the Maine People’s Alliance and a certified recovery coach. She lives in Lewiston.