Heroin Epidemic in Maryland: Readers Debate Treatment, Border Wall

Annapolis, MD — Patch's look at the heroin epidemic sweeping across Maryland -- and the rest of the country – drew strong reactions from readers.

Several commenters talked about how friends or family became addicted to drugs, some readers said the state needs more treatment facilities and others say GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump has the right idea by planning to build a wall along the US-Mexico border to halt the flow of drugs.

• Read the full story here: Heroin Epidemic Escalates Across Maryland

Officials say the surge is caused by doctors over-prescribing pain medications, which are replaced by cheap and easy-to-find heroin once prescriptions aren’t refilled or insurance money dries up.

Commenter Sessh wrote that a friend became a heroin addict “mostly due to depression and not being able to find work despite having skills in several areas due to some petty crimes still on his record years after the fact, making employers hesitant to hire. That turns people to start stealing just to get by and that turns into depression because no one wants to live that way and that turns into drugs just to feel good and that turns into addiction.”

In response reader steve bourg posted, “What's the common-sense response? Trump becomes President, we BUILD a damn IMPENETRABLE WALL that should've already been built, and we STOP THE FLOOD !!!!!!”

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In 2015, the state saw a 21 percent increase in the number of deaths from drug and alcohol intoxication, according to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. A total of 1,259 overdose deaths occurred in Maryland last year.

And the state is on pace to equal or surpass that tragic number in 2016. A new tally from the health department shows that from January to March this year, Maryland saw 383 deaths related to overdose.

Anne Arundel County Police have been trained to recognize signs of an overdose and can even render an antidote, a shot of Narcan, which can restore normal breathing.

One reader wants more education and more treatment facilities, even going so far as to suggest, “put narcan dispensers next to condom dispensers in public bathrooms.”

But that suggestion brought criticism from a reader who said, “Other than EMS stop giving Police and others Narcan to save these clowns. You are only enabling the trash of society to go out and keep using again and again. They have made the stupid choice to use and abuse.”

Responded Barbara, “They're not clowns- they're PEOPLE, usually CHILDREN; they're somebody's child, grandchild, sister or brother, & they are PRECIOUS to them.”

Where to Get Help in Maryland

Maryland residents who need help finding substance abuse treatment resources should visit the Department of Health website for links to substance abuse treatment facilities. Or call the Maryland Crisis Hotline, which provides 24/7 support, at 1-800-422-0009. If you know of someone who could use treatment for substance abuse,treatment facilities can be located by location and program characteristics online.

»Image of heroin powder courtesy of the Drug Enforcement Administration