Progress made, but Md. opioid crisis continues

SALISBURY, Md. – Maryland’s Opioid Operational Command Center has released its 2018 report on the opioid epidemic in the state, a report that reveals this crisis is nowhere near over.

According to the report, there were 2,380 unintentional intoxication deaths, which is a 5 percent increase from 2017 and about 2,110 of those were opioid-related.

Although alarming, that’s actually the slowest rate of increase in opioid-related deaths since 2011.

Dr. Mchael Finnegan believes it is due to more readily available narcan, things like the Wicomico COAT team and more aggressive policing of inappropriate providers.

“The state has made very significant efforts, but again more than 2,000 people died, we have a long way to go to bring those death rates down it’s still an epidemic the numbers are still larger than what they were five years ago 10 years ago so many more efforts can be made,” explains Finnegan.

Finnegan says more aggressive legislation, a better response from the professional board for oversight of providers and the demanding better care are things that could help reduce the opioid-related deaths we continue to see in Maryland and across the country.