The number of fentanyl-related deaths in Maryland reached an all-time high in 2017 and is on track to continue increasing in 2018, officials said, part of a nationwide overdose epidemic being driven by the powerful synthetic drug.
Maryland fatalities caused by fentanyl jumped 42 percent from 2016 to 2017 — from 1,119 to 1,594 — even as deaths related to heroin use declined, according to data released by the Maryland Department of Health on Thursday.
Health Secretary Robert R. Neall called the rising numbers “staggering,” noting that in the first three months of 2018 alone there were 500 fentanyl-related deaths in the state.
Nationwide, federal and state law enforcement officials have begunaggressively prosecuting crimes involving fentanyl, which is often mixed into other drugs to increase their potency. The synthetic drug is about 50 times stronger than heroin.
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Anyone that would take a drug that is 50 times stronger than heroin is it absolutely no used to themselves or anyone else
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ReplyDeleteEvery one of those deaths represents a little less drain on our economy, I hope the number keeps going up. Good riddance to that bunch of drug addled, free loading scumbags.
ReplyDeleteThank Hogan for part of the blame-signing off on legislation that REDUCED the penalty for drugs, and pretty much nothing happens if they still use while on probation or parole...
ReplyDeleteOoops! You better check with Clay Stamp, this falls under him not Health Secretary Robert R. Neall.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThank Hogan for part of the blame-signing off on legislation that REDUCED the penalty for drugs, and pretty much nothing happens if they still use while on probation or parole...
July 29, 2018 at 3:28 PM
Agree. This is the same thing that ANTIFA President Obama was doing with the druggies.