Now if ya'll can find the leagl prescribers...doctors..and maybe God willing the methadone clinics...make them take responsibilty for the legalized trafficking of the synthetic form of opiates.. Maine may see a future where prosperity does not depend on the Opiate industry...

Can you imagine how much of this crap has made it to the kids that they dont know about? Most of these pill heads are kids them selves. I say if you need an Opiate drug, you should have to go get it daily like the Methadone Clinic. Then we could regulate what they are doing with there scripts. NO Opiates are good Opiates.

Give all six overdoses of oxy..dont waste taxpayer $$$ on them.. I hate oxy dealers :(

Have they tracked down the doctors who prescribed the drugs yet? The medical community has been so irresponsible in it's handling of opiates, that I not sure a general doctor should even be allowed to prescribe them.

This is such a problem in Aroostook County is unbelievable sometimes how many pills are around. We need to start tossing the these scumbags who are killing our kids into a room and let the parents of the kids who have been sold to take care of them.

Shiretown.net - Aroostook Countys Discussion Forum

Anyone who is given these pain meds should be watched very closely. These pills are so addictive. Especially when given to students. Taken over a period of time even as needed during the healing process can cause addiction. I know some who have stopped taking them altogether after a few days of surgery for fear of becoming addicted to them. I wish there was more research done in finding natural ways of minimizing pain rather than resorting to thse extremely powerful addictive drugs.

I this how the state of California is making it out of their deficit? selling Mainers Drugs?

The drug manufacturers have a dirty little secret. They KNEW about the addictive qualities of oxycontin and continue to profit off the illicit trade. While anyone can say it isn't an intentional case of profiteering, there seems to be an awful lot of illegal oxycontin around. What percentage of that "stolen volume" that has to be replaced by the manufacturer - who gets paid for every dose if it isn't stolen directly from the factory - is returned to the shareholders?

Take it off the market. Period. End of discussion. But no, the drug company lobbyists will make sure that doesn't happen.

Bangorian is right what docters wrote all these prescriptions.

I agree..it seems as though this stuff is so easy to get..how come? Is it doctors who purposely give it out knowing full well these pills will be falling into the wrong hands. Is some grandma or grandpa selling it to kids because they don't have enough SS to live on. Which I have heard happens. I have also heard some see different doctors and get the same meds and sell. These meds should be more closely monitored.

How true is all of this. I agree that not your general practitioner should be aloud to give this. This should ONLY be for the terminally ill. Not some lady who went out on comp. w/ a case & a jacked up knee. GET REAL. I know 1 on Indian Island. I also know an old lady on French Settlement Rd. that sells hers to her grandsons & then they sell them. Can you imagine? This grandson is going to have a baby! Can you imagine we allow this!! This is w/in a 15 mile radiouse. Tell me that the law doesnt know! They have to know. There wouldnt be a young person that I would pull over that I wouldnt search for pills. ANY PILLS!! Children are loosing their souls to this sh!t!!!

This is what is happening in the smaller communities in Aroostook County. Yet the Van Buren Town Council does not want to hire the full time police officers they need to try to keep the drugs away from our kids. Try to figure that one out

The Prescriptions may be valid for people with pain, and then they get stolen by teens from Grammy or Grampy's medicine cabinet...not a big mystery

I agree smartnup.... I have first hand experience with what this stuff leads to.. basically a cheaper high heroin... and if you don't think it's up here in Northern Maine... you are all fooling yourselves....

boy.....all that oxycontin...rush limbaugh must be drooling....

And this surprises everyone? Only been happening for the past 13 years now. And....the only way you can get a script for it is if you are an addict to begin with.

So what about the Doctor in Fort Kent, and the others that we in conection with drugs. What happend to them?

I am a successful individual, who has maintained a life, without the need of illicit drugs, or alcohol for that matter, with the help of Methadone. While Oxycontin is a terrible addiction for sure, (not like heroin, and I know.) I am always surprised that Benzodiazipenes (sp?) such as Xanax, Clonapin, Valium, and the likes, are never mentioned. They are so readily available, and equally as addicting. Many overdoses are a result of these drugs being combined with alcohol, and other substances. I think the issue focus should be more on giving young people other ways to feel empowered, so they do not feel the need to turn to drugs. Things are not like they were 50 years ago. Instant gratification is the standard now, and when need are not met in a healthy way, people will often seek out the unhealthy. Just my opinion!

It is not the drugs people. Oxycontin and Oxycodone have their purpose. It is not always for terminally ill people. Imagine having bones shattered in your body. They don't heal correctly. Life is not all hunky dory after something like that. These medications allow people to live with pain. If you only knew how many people live in such terrible pain, you may feel different. Pain doesn't discriminate. You can be 5, 50 or 80 and have excruciating pain. Pain contracts, urine drug screens, and random pill counts should be used. If these responsible actions by practitioners are followed, it lessens the risk of abuse. Narcotics are not the enemy, abuse of them is.They should be limited only when abuse of them is present. I believe in medicine to help people.

AM another one that believe every drug has it's purpose.

I know a few people that have restrictred drivers license's because they are on a narcotic.

I think it keeps people honest, the patients, doctors, pharmacy's. Is a great step forward, It sorts out the people and keeps them righteous. Now if only Maine can keep up with it, they are on a roll. That also means that People that are prescribed pain meds, should go and get their licenese restricted also.

Makes it easier for the Law to keep up with it all. Is a great start..

Difficult to keep anyone honest when the doctors are not themselves. The narcotics contracts that they pay some little secretary to type up are only worth the paper they are printed on. No One monitors those on the other end. Our family member died after ingesting 1183 painkillers for PTSD mental anguish...all given by same doctor. All attornies we contacted said let the vets have their drugs for their mental pain. Pharmacy we contacted said....don't file a lawsuit....that will only up the price on these meds and make it difficult for those who need them. All those vets were committing slow suicide, or they were selling them to kids on the street. The only one profitting was the grocer/pharmacy. Narcotic contract in force meant nothing because NO ONE monitored what he did with all those painkillers and prescriptions on the other end. His doctor told us the contract was to keep the addict honest.....that is a contradiction in itself...a man who had overdosed all his life, paying out great $$ to the pharmacy, and no one cared whether he lived or died....just that he paid for all those meds each month. It always comes down to the dollar and greed. We do not shop H---- grocer any more.

the first thing that people who read this article need to keep in mind before they judge these people is that darrell crandell is a liar, plain and simple. this guy will lie, make up evidence, set innocent people up, anything dirty and underhanded to pad his arrest record. just look at his estimate of the value of the pills..lets say that 40 shipments of 45 pills each shipment =1800 pills, total =$140,000.00?????????? that would mean people in the county have been paying almost $80.00 a pill which is crazy, no one in maine or any other state would or could afford to pay $80.00 per pill or even close to that, but this is darrell crandells way of making things sound worse then they really are so he comes out looking good and gets more federal and state money to back his pipe dreams, when will mainers finally smarten up and dump dirt bag darrell ?????????