Overdose Deaths in Maryland Continue to Increase, while Wicomico County Experiences a Decrease

(Salisbury, MD) On Friday October 12, 2018, The Maryland Department of Health released the second quarter Unintentional Drug and Alcohol Related Intoxication Death report which documented an 11% increase in overdose deaths in the state of Maryland when compared to the same time period last year (January-June 2018). Although the state is seeing an overall increase, Wicomico County is seeing a reduction in lives lost, dropping from 19 lives lost from January to June of 2017, to 17 lives lost from January to June of 2018.

This report came on the same day Wicomico County recognized and honored lives lost due to overdose in our community, at the County’s rescheduled Overdose Awareness Day event. Over two hundred people were given access to community resources and Naloxone trainings in an attempt to educate and raise awareness around this important topic.

“It is events such as these that aid in reducing the number of overdoses experienced in Wicomico County. Not only are we providing resources to the community, we are humanizing those individuals struggling with the disease of addiction in an attempt to break the surrounding stigma,” states Christina Bowie-Simpson, Opioid Coordinator for Wicomico County. Prevention and treatment efforts continue to be a priority for the County with hopes that lives lost to addiction will continue to decrease.

If you or someone you love is struggling with a substance use disorder, you can find help at BeforeItsTooLateMD.org or by calling 211 and pressing 1. You can also contact the Community Outreach Addictions Team (COAT) at 443-783-6875.