100k opioid overdose deaths in MD a year as Gov. introduces new initiative
MARYLAND – Maryland Governor Wes Moore is launching the Office of Overdose Response within the state’s Department of Health. This has sparked mixed opinions among emergency medical services providers and law enforcement. However, they both agree that the opioid epidemic has only gotten worse.
Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis says the worsening epidemic is a direct result of people ingesting pure fentanyl. Previously, fentanyl was solely mixed with illicit drugs to strengthen the potency of the product. Now, some users are turning to straight fentanyl because of their high tolerance.
“People want the best high, the quickest high they can get and they are injecting pure fentanyl into their system,” said Sheriff Lewis.
The increased use of opioids on the Eastern Shore is not just killing people suffering from addiction, but also impacting other community members. On Thursday, Sheriff Lewis says opioids played a part in a fatal crash.
“We know they were under the influence of an opioid and struck and killed a man on south upper ferry road,” said Sheriff Lewis.
Sheriff Lewis says recent changes to how law enforcement must conduct traffic stops in Maryland is making it harder for his deputies to get opioids off the streets.
“When lawmakers in Annapolis are legislating laws and passing laws that enable and coddle criminals and not true victims of crimes, we are never going to solve these issues,” said Sheriff Lewis.
Meanwhile, emergency medical providers are a little more optimistic about Governor Moore’s announcement. ER Physician Dr. Kerry Forrestal at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional thinks this could be a step in the right direction, but not an overall solution.
“It has just been progressively worse watching young people, predominantly young people, come in as overdoses watching the devastation that this reeks,” said Dr. Forrestal.
Dr. Forrestal says it can be difficult to stay in opioid recovery, especially right after surviving an overdose. He says he’s seen countless cases of people returning to opioid use after almost dying from it.
“Once in a while, somebody does,” Dr. Forrestal said. “They will show me a recovery coin or they just reach out, but its a devastating thing and it is not getting any better.”
Dr. Forestall also said that combining state resources with those across the U.S. is a smart way to address the opioid epidemic in the United States; what some call the drug capital of the world.
Sheriff Lewis also says Maryland’s opioid overdoses do not count those involving other drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine or other non opioids. He also says many overdoses are going unreported now that overdose reversal drugs are readily available on the market.
