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Maine has the highest rate of suicide in the Northeast, and most of those tragic losses are by firearm. In 2022, 87% of Maine firearm deaths were suicides and 63% of our suicides were by firearm. If someone is hopeless, in crisis and suicidal, having easy access to a firearm is deadly. A firearm allows no time for reconsideration.
Question 2 on the ballot supports establishing a red flag law in Maine, allowing a family member or law enforcement to seek temporary removal of weapons for safety. Also called an emergency risk protection order, these laws allow for a rapid response to remove risk with a full review done later.
I worked a number of years as a crisis clinician in Maine, intervening with people threatening suicide or after an attempt. And for two decades I have supported families and organizations after a suicide loss. The one phrase I hear from families most often is “I wish I could have done something to save them.”
Families know their loved ones and can recognize risk long before law enforcement is ever called. A red flag law provides a tool for families and can prevent a lifetime of grief and regret.
Vote “yes” on Question 2 on Nov. 4.
Greg Marley
Rockland
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