Zachary Smith, a Caribou resident more than five years into recovery from opioid use disorder, argues that the policies of the Maine Department of Corrections and Aroostook Sheriff’s Office will endanger his life when he is incarcerated in September.

Smith is suing the agencies for terminating his Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) when he begins his sentence later this year. MAT is a combination of counseling and medication such as buprenorphine under the supervision of a physician. The medication blocks the body’s opioid receptors, suppressing cravings and withdrawal.