Fentanyl deaths continue to rise staggeringly in Maryland



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Syringes of opioid badgesic fentanyl, which is about 50 times more potent than heroin. (Rick Bowmer / AP)

The number of deaths related to fentanyl in Maryland reached an all-time high Deaths from fentanyl in Maryland jumped 42% between 2016 and 2017 – from 1,119 to 1,594 – even in 2017, according to the authorities. According to data released Thursday by the Maryland Department of Health, the number of deaths related to the use of heroin has decreased.

Health Minister Robert R. Neall called these figures "narcotic". There were 500 deaths related to fentanyl in the state.

Nationally, federal and state forces began aggressively pursuing crimes involving fentanyl, often mixed with other drugs to increase their potency. The synthetic drug is about 50 times stronger than heroin.

Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who lost a cousin to a heroin overdose, said the state of emergency regarding opioid dependence in 2017 and issued a standing order allowing for the distribution of the drug against overdose, naloxone, also known as Narcan. Since taking office, the state has spent more than $ 500 million fighting addiction disorders, said Hogan spokeswoman Amelia Chbade

. one of six states that will receive a grant to provide re-employment services to residents affected by the use of opioids. Mr. Chbade said the governor "has always asked for more federal funding" to fight the epidemic and that he has been "incredibly proactive in attracting attention to this crisis."

[Hogan wants Md. to sue opioid manufacturers, turn jail into treatment center]

The only time Hogan testified before Congress, The federal government will increase its funding to fight the epidemic and intensify enforcement measures to prevent the entry of fentanyl into the country

The number of heroin-related deaths decreased by 11% between 2017 and 2016, from 1,212 to 1,078 The number of deaths related to prescription opioids decreased slightly from 418 in 2016 to 413 in 2017.

But the number of prescription opioid deaths has decreased slightly from 411 in 2016 to 413 in 2017. Cocaine-related deaths have increased 49% from 464 to 691 by an increase in fentanyl mixed with cocaine, according to the authorities.

From January to March 2018, there were 229 deaths related to cocaine. According to the Ministry of Health, nearly two-thirds of cocaine-related deaths were related to fentanyl

. Democratic governor Ben Jealous has criticized this week the treatment of the opioid epidemic by Hogan. that the state was late in releasing its data from 2017. The health department released its 2016 report in early June of last year.

"Maryland has been at the origin of the fight against the opioid epidemic … It is time for the governor to personally engage with him to make sure that we are beginning to treat this crisis as a public health emergency, "said Mr. Jealous in a statement.

He proposed increased public funding for Naloxone centers, working with counties that want to establish programs for the first time. needle exchange and increasing treatment available in correctional facilities, among other things.

Hunt reported that the delay was because data released for 2017 was more complete than in 2016, including breakdowns by region And age, she rejected Jealous's statements about the timing of the publication of the data as a political attack.

"It's downright hateful that someone is using a national health crisis to mark and political partisans, "she said. of 2018 was released slightly earlier this year than data for the same period in 2017.

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