AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine is dealing with so many drug overdose deaths that the state medical examiner is asking for more money to handle the workload.
Maine Attorney General Janet Mills says the additional money is required both because of the greater numbers of tests and the sophisticated level of testing that's needed because of the types of drugs involved.
"We've had many cases of people consuming what they thought was pure heroin and it was heroin mixed with fentanyl, or maybe it was pure fentanyl," Mills says, "and oftentimes these drug overdose deaths involve a cocktail of things, including cocaine and heroin, and alcohol and benzodiazapines and opiates, prescription opiates."
Mills says determining what caused the overdose death will let authorities know what's being trafficked so warnings can be sent out to communities. She says autopsies also help provide closure for families.
The Attorney General's Office has received $150,000 in supplemental state funding this year and is seeking an additional $150,000 in each of the the next two-year budget years.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.