Harm Reduction

Harm reduction approaches are important ways of connecting with people who use drugs to provide tools and information that help create positive change and can save lives. It focuses on areas including overdose prevention, safer drug use, syringe access and disposal.

General Guidance

• National Harm Reduction Coalition
• Vulnerability Assessment for Opioid Overdoses and Bloodborne Infections Associated with Non-Sterile Injection - Drug Use in Maine (PDF)
• Syringe Service Programs in Maine

Naloxone

Naloxone, also known as Narcan®, can counteract the life-threatening impact of an opioid overdose. It's not available as a nasal spray or an injection. Naloxone blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and can restore normal breathing. Find Naloxone and learn more about how to use it and why it may be good to have it on hand.

Community Sharps Disposal

This Community Sharps Disposal Toolkit (PDF) [LINK to file in folder] provides an overview useful information on topics including how to develop a community sharps disposal program, key terms, and SSPs in Maine. It is a great tool for anyone interested in safe sharps disposal.

Need to safely discard syringes? Contact any of the syringe service programs listed below for disposal. You can also drop of syringes at any community sharps disposal site in Lewiston (PDF), Portland (PDF), Westbrook (PDF), or Bangor. Get more information on safe disposal in Maine.

There is also guidance for Safe Disposal of Household Medical Sharps.

Syringe Services

Syringe Service Annual Reports:

• 2024 (PDF)
• 2023 (PDF)
• 2022 (PDF)
• 2021 (PDF)
• 2020 (PDF)

Certified Syringe Service Programs

Please contact one of our partners to learn more about syringe service programs, HIV and Hepatitis C testing, and other services.

Need to safely discard syringes? You can contact any of the syringe service programs below for disposal. Additionally, if you can drop of syringes at any of the community sharps disposal sites in Lewiston (PDF), Portland (PDF), Westbrook (PDF), or Bangor. Get more information on safe disposal in Maine.

Reference this Community Sharps Disposal Toolkit (PDF) for more information.

Name	Address	Phone
Androscoggin County
Spurwink Community Recovery  Harm Reduction Services website: https://spurwink.org/   Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm	1155 Lisbon Street Lewiston, ME 04240	(207)-344-1934
Church of Safe Injection website: www.churchofsafeinjection.org  Hours: Mondays 12pm-5pm Fridays 12pm-5pm	195 Main Street Lewiston, ME 04240	(207) 241-2537
Cumberland County
Commonspace Website: https://www.commonspacemaine.org	103 India Street Portland, ME 04101	(207) 773-1956
Portland Public Health Syringe Service Program ("The Exchange") Website: www.portlandmaine.gov Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-4pm	39 Forest Ave. Portland, ME 04101	(207) 756-8022
Church of Safe Injection website: www.churchofsafeinjection.org  Call ahead for hours	800 Main Street,       Westbrook, ME 04092	(207) 241-2537
Franklin County
Franklin County Syringe Exchange  website:   Hours: 1st, 3rd and Last Wednesday of the Month 11am-3pm	105 Mt, Blue Circle, Suite 1, Farmington ME 04938	(207)-778-1015
Franklin County Syringe Exchange  website:   Hours: 2nd Wednesday of the Month 11am-3pm	78 North Main Street, Strong, Maine 04983	(207)-778-1015
Kennebec County
MaineGeneral Website:  www.mainegeneral.org  Hours: MTuTh: 8:30-4:30p, W: 11-4:30p, F-12:30-4:30p	9 Green Street, 2nd Floor Augusta, ME 04330	(207) 621-3768
MaineGeneral Website:  www.mainegeneral.org  Hours: MW: 8:30-4:30p, TuTh: 12:30-4:30p, F: 10-4:30p	Thayer Center for Health 149 North Street, Terrace Level, Room 0243 Waterville, ME 04901	(207) 861-5288
Maine Recovery Access Project Wesbite: www.me-rap.org Hours: Thursday - Sunday 12-8pm	47 Water St, Augusta, Maine 04430	(207)248-6003
Oxford County
Maine Access Points Website:  www.maineaccesspoints.org   Call ahead for hours	218 Penobscot St, Rumford, ME 04276	(207) 319-8284
Church of Safe Injection website: www.churchofsafeinjection.org  Call ahead for hours	Rumford	(207) 241-2537
Penobscot County
Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness Website: https://wabanakiphw.org/departments/healing-and-recovery/harm-reduction-services/   Monday - Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.	304 Hancock Street, Bangor, ME 04401	(207) 299-6378
Needlepoint Sanctuary  Hours: Thursday–Friday : 12–8 PM  Saturdays : 12–5 PM	1009 Ohio St, Bangor, ME 04401	207-307-7588
Piscataquis County
Needlepoint Sanctuary  Website:   Call ahead for hours.	38 E Main St, Milo, ME	(207) 505-1510
Washington County
Maine Access Points website: www.maineaccesspoints.org  Call ahead for hours.	311 Main Street, Calais, ME 04619	(207) 319-0094
Maine Access Points Website:  www.maineaccesspoints.org  Hours: Wednesdays 12pm-4pm  Thursdays 12pm-4pm.	25 Main Street Unit #15, Machias, ME 04654	(207) 319-0094
York County
Maine Access Points website: www.maineaccesspoints.org  Hours: Wednesdays 12pm-4pm   Fridays 11am-2pm	840 Main St, Sanford, ME 04073	(207) 370-4782
Maine Access Points Website: www.maineaccesspoints.org	281 Main Street, Biddeford Maine 04005	(207) 370-4782
Knox County
Coastal Recovery Community Center Website: Hours: Thursdays 3pm-5pm	11 White St, Rockland, ME 04841	(207)-691-3697
Hancock County
Opiate-Free Island Partnership  Hours: 1st Thursday of the Month 5pm-7pm	627 N Deer Isle Rd, Deer Isle, ME 04627

Certification Application

To operate a syringe service program (SSP) in Maine, the person or entity wishing to operate the program must be certified by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The Syringe Service Programs Application Guidance (PDF) will assist with this application process. If you have questions, contact the Maine CDC at 800-821-5821 and ask to speak with someone in the Infectious Disease Prevention Program regarding Syringe Service Programs.