Drug Addiction and Epidemic- The Battle Continues

Despite all efforts to reduce drug addiction and overdose deaths, those deaths increased in 2018 by 5% to 2,385, according to the state Department of Health. Last year marked the second consecutive year that overdose deaths exceeded 2,000. Since 2009, fueled by fentanyl (50 times more powerful than heroin), the opioid epidemic has taken the lives of 10,936 Marylanders.

Maryland ranks among the top five states for the highest rate of opioid deaths. Three jurisdictions (Baltimore City, Anne Arundel and Baltimore Counties) suffered the greatest number of deaths in 2018. In addition, deaths also rose in all three of these jurisdictions.

Maryland has taken strong and decisive steps to combat the opioid epidemic and, despite some setbacks, to some extent has been successful. Maryland's Opioid Operational Commend Center, which tracks government response to the crisis, has stated that "the epidemic is starting to plateau." However, it must be emphasized that as deaths from prescription pain-killers and heroin decline, deaths from fentanyl are spiking. The figures back up those facts: heroin deaths decreased by 23.7% and by 10% for prescription drugs. In 2017, fentanyl deaths soared 42.5%. Last year the increase was 17.1%.

Maryland's has taken aggressive action against the drug and overdose epidemic. Governor Hogan was first governor in the nation to call the epidemic a state emergency. During the current fiscal year, the state will spend $672 million on opioid issues. The state has increased its residential beds 44% to 2,333. Prevention and education programs have more than doubled, as have the number of counties referring inmates leaving jails to treatment. Much of this can also be attributed to the bipartisan work of the Maryland General Assembly.

Maryland has also been a leader when it comes to our Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). While other states still struggle to bring their PDMP online, Maryland’s PDMP became 100% mandatory in 2019. That means that any prescriber must query the PDMP before writing a prescription for an opioid or other potentially dangerous pharmaceutical. The good news is, IT IS WORKING. Pharmacists have told me personally that they send people away on a daily basis, due to the PDMP showing that the individual just received the same prescription.

I am proud to have sponsored the Heroin and Opioid Prevention Effort Act of 2017 (H.O.P.E.), which I sponsored and was signed into law by Governor Hogan. This legislation came from a bipartisan work-group appointed by then Speaker Michael Busch, of which I was honored to serve as Chairman. Speaker Busch put together this diverse group of legislators from all over Maryland, most of whom have been personally impacted by the epidemic. The H.O.P.E Act is a comprehensive behavioral health measure aimed at expanding treatment options for those with mental health and substance use disorders, allocating more resources to reducing opioid dependency in Maryland. At the same time, we also passed Heroin and Opioid Education and Community Action Act of 2017 (Start Talking Maryland Act), which I was also proud to sponsor. Among other educational initiatives, this legislation makes certain that public schools in Maryland teach the dangers of opioids and substance abuse to students at three different stages of their education. Between grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12, students will learn of the dangers associated with the opioid epidemic.

Last month, Maryland joined four other states - Iowa, Kansas, West Virginia and Wisconsin - in filing suit against the owners and directors of Purdue Pharma, manufacturer of Oxycontin, and Rhodes Pharmaceuticals, manufacturer of the generic opioid, for their role in the epidemic. The states claim that the companies schemed to increase their profits by marketing opioids through "unfair and deceptive practices."

In the Maryland suit, Attorney General Frosh claims the drug companies misled prescribing doctors about its opioid addictive qualities by telling them that symptoms commonly associated with addiction, such as misrepresenting pain symptoms and using drugs like heroin, were not red flags indicating addictions and should be addressed by increasing doses to increase their profits. The companies ignored obvious signs of problematic prescribing by doctors and, instead, recruited some of these doctors as paid speakers to promote the company's opioid products.

It has become obvious that not only must we fight the drugs but also the drug companies that manufacture them. This epidemic knows no age, gender, educational, income or societal boundaries, and it will take continued efforts and revenue if we intend to stem the tide and save lives.