The arrest last week of five Mount Desert Island residents and the seizure of more than 1,000 bags of heroin provided compelling evidence that the drug is here in a big way. Peter Arno, task force supervisor for the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, said the drug distribution ring, which appears to have connections that extend well beyond the state s borders, was supplying heroin for more than 40 local users. Many folks in Maine likely have a stereotypical view of a heroin addict that doesn t begin to match reality. Recent discussions about a proposed Methadone clinic in Bangor have elicited concerns over the types of individuals that would be attracted by such a facility. But the truth is that drug abuse knows no boundary.
Maine is a long way in distance and in culture from the mean streets of New York or Washington.
In the small communities where we all live, that heroin addict just might be our neighbor, or our plumber, or our attorney anyone at all. There are no simple solutions to the problem perhaps no solutions at all. With large amounts of money to be made, drug dealers will continue to exploit the market as long as there are willing buyers. Law enforcement officials can t do the job alone. For every arrest and seizure, there are probably dozens of drug exchanges that go undetected.