Fentanyl deaths continue to rise staggeringly in Maryland

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 dropped.

Health Secretary Robert R. Neall described these figures as "narcotics", noting that during the first three months of 2018 500 deaths related to fentanyl in the state.

National, state, and federal law enforcement officials began aggressively pursuing crimes involving fentanyl, which is 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 Chasse.

This week, the US Department of Labor announced that Maryland is one of six states that will receive a grant to provide re-employment services to residents affected by the use of opioids. Mr. Chasse 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 deaths related to heroin decreased by 11% between 2016 and 2017, from 1,212 to 1,078 from 291 to 236, in the first three months of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017. The number of deaths related to prescription opioids has decreased slightly, from 418 in 2016 to 413 in 2017.

But the number of deaths Deaths from cocaine increased by 49%, from 464 to 691, driven by an increase in fentanyl mixed with cocaine, according to the authorities.

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

. Democratic presidential nominee Ben Jealous has criticized Hogan's treatment of the opioid epidemic this week. saying Tuesday that the state was behind in the release of its 2017 data. The Ministry of Health 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 starting to treat this crisis as a public health emergency, "said Mr. Jealous in a statement.

He proposed increased public funding for the naloxone centers, working with counties that want to establish health programs. Needle exchange and expand treatment available in correctional facilities, among other things.

Hunting, spokeswoman, said the delay was more complete than in 2016, including the breakdowns by region and age.It rejected Jealous's statements about the timing of the publication of the data as a political attack.

"It is downright hateful that someone is using a national health crisis to score points partisan politics she, said she from 2018 was published slightly earlier this year than data for the same period in 2017.