Opioid Epidemic and its impact on the Delmarva Peninsula
September is national recovery month, and with that, the Wicomico County health department is starting early marking today as Tri-County Opioid awareness day.
Wicomico, Worcester and Somerset county are gathering at Winterplace park to unite and help anyone who is suffering from opioid abuse.
Today, community members and health officials are gathering here dressed in a sea of purple to unite in solidarity against the ongoing opioid epidemic that has been a problem nationwide for millions of Americans.
In the tri-county area, anyone is welcome to come and gather here to support or start their road to recovery.
“Approximately every eight minutes or so, somebody is passing due to a preventable overdose and it continues to rise, it continues to shift in change, its not just heroin anymore.”
Opioid addiction is an ongoing problem that has plagued the nation, and even Delmarva, for decades.
Wicomico County Health Department Program coordinator Jessica Taylor tells us prescription opioids are just the start to the problem when it comes to the opioid epidemic.
Fentanyl is now the number one concern for the crisis.
It’s mostly fentanyl and cocaine is not even cocaine anymore, so we are finding fentanyl, which is very very potent. Fifty to hundred times more potent than the normal does of heroin.
Anybody, no matter their genetic or economic background, can be susceptible to opioid addiction.
Taylor says a lot of times, those closest to the ones in the throws of addiction, often times aren’t even aware that they’re suffering.
“Its been here for a while and it just continues to take lives and to take the love ones that we don’t even realize might have a problem or concern,” Taylor said.
It starts with simple substance use. A lot of times we are finding that it is trauma based, so people try to escape and numb their problems and concerns.
Assistant Chief for the Salisbury Fire Department Christopher Truitt says on average, they see anywhere from ten to eighteen overdose related incidents a month and up to four a week.
“The first half of the year, we have run about seventy-six overdose calls. Unfortunately, twelve percent of those were fatal.
In some cases, EMS are seeing an even stronger version of fentanyl called carfentanil that is one of the most potent opioids on the market.
It is typically used as a tranquilizer for animals the size of elephants, but is being found in illicit drugs as a cutting agent and is extremely addictive.
“It’s a horrible disease and people do not always treat it like its a taboo thing,” Truitt said. “Talk about it if you are concerned about somebody.”
“Reach out to the health department, reach out to the resources and there are ways to get through this together and not just ignore it.”
