Task Force on Drugs Convened at CSM

Government Task Force on Heroin & Opioids Held

Calvert County Commissioner President Steve Weems was joined by County Commissioner Tom Hejl, Calvert County Health Officer Dr. Lawrence Polsky, Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans and other government and community leaders from the tri-county area this morning gathered at CSM to share information and look for collaborative approaches to heroin and opioid abuse. The Southern Maryland Regional Summit convened by the Maryland Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force was a day-long event being held at the College of Southern Maryland, Prince Frederick Campus. The Maryland Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force held the third of its six regional summits Wednesday, April 29.

“It is time that we renew our pledge to each other to tackle and beat this epidemic,” said Weems. “On behalf of the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners, good morning and welcome to this very important regional summit. Commissioner Tom Hejl is here with me today and after those of us on the panel make our opening remarks, he looks forward to joining us in our morning discussion of the heroin and opioid epidemic in Maryland. Let me also take a moment to welcome the other Southern Maryland County Commissioners at my side. Commissioner Murphy, Commissioner Guy, I am glad to be sharing the table with you this morning for this important conversation. And of course we extend an enormous thank you to Governor Larry Hogan and Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford for establishing this task force and the inter-agency coordinating council, and for moving so quickly to build the foundation for us to come together and tackle this issue as a state-wide leadership team. It goes without saying that the College of Southern Maryland remains a gracious business partner and host. Thank you for the use of this beautiful facility. We are here today because heroin and opioid use and addiction have reached epic proportion. Heroin-related deaths in Maryland spiked 88 percent from 2011 to 2013, according to figures released last year by the state’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. At that time they also reported that intoxication overdoses of all types outnumbered homicides in the state. From January through September 2014, DHMH reported (preliminary numbers) that Calvert County had 12 heroin-related intoxication deaths. In the same time period, according to DHMH, Calvert County had 15 drug and alcohol –related intoxication deaths; seven opioid-related deaths and two cocaine-related deaths. All of these numbers represent the highest in the tri-county area.”

“While preparing for this summit, Calvert County Health Officer Dr. Polsky shared with me that Calvert’s full statistics for 2014 won’t be available until this June. But he could share some emergency room data from Calvert Memorial Hospital. In the last nine months, 15 percent of all ER visits at CMH involved some type of substance abuse and/or mental health condition. Visits involving opioids represent .67 percent of the visits (or one in every 150 visits).  And according to Dr. Polsky, drug “abuse” implies misuse of narcotics regardless of the origination—so the numbers include illegal drugs, and prescription drugs. Addiction does not discriminate by age, income or sex. People of all ages and backgrounds are dying because of heroin and opioids.

“While law enforcement is trying to arrest and confine the drug pushers, the emergency medical responders are trying to save those who have OD’d. The medical professionals are reexamining how they prescribe medications. Our rehab centers are over-taxed with clients. ABC News recently reported that Baltimore, Maryland is the heroin capitol of the United States. That’s one hour away folks.”

And back here in Calvert County, I ride my bike to and from work. A few weeks ago I was riding along St. Leonard Road when my colleagues in Prince Frederick called and I stopped to take the call. As I was walking around, and talking, I looked down and there was a dirty, discarded syringe. Heroin and opioid use isn’t an hour away. It’s right here, on the side of our country roads. There is no, one, easy fix. This issue requires multiple efforts on multiple fronts.”

“As a government official, I struggle with where we will find the funding to fight the war. As a member of this community that I love—where I was born and raised—I see this problem impacting the lives of so many and I join my constituents, friends and neighbors in a wide open conversation about the problem. As a parent, I am scared out of my mind, for my children (and all of yours). This discussion is long overdue. I look forward to hearing your stories and your questions. It is time that we renew our pledge to each other to tackle and beat this epidemic. Today, I encourage us to share openly and honestly and I ask all of us to dig deep to find collaborative solutions. Let’s get started.

“This is a public health issue,” declared Delegate Anthony J. “Tony” O’Donnell [R – District 29C]. “We’ve seen this issue get worse and worse.” “There are a lot of forces working against us,” said Delegate Mark N. Fisher [R – District 27C], who cited attempts to gain approval for mandating the use of technology for opioid monitoring as a prime example of legislation opposed by the pharmaceutical lobby.”  Fisher said Maryland was in need of a measure similar to the Mandatory Seatbelt Law for dealing with the opioid crisis. Both O’Donnell and Fisher praised Governor Larry Hogan for prioritizing solutions for the heroin and opioid crisis.

Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford, did not attend the summit due to the ongoing unrest in Baltimore City. St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron, was the moderator for the session. Cameron noted the “dramatic rise in heroin” in the three Southern Maryland counties.

As individuals have become addicted to prescription opiates, the legal drugs have become pricier, leading the users to often purchase heroin, an illegal drug that is cheaper to buy from drug dealers. The often lethal use of heroin—now considered more potent than ever—has led to a spike in overdose (O.D.) deaths.

Commissioner President Weems “I struggle with where we will find the funding,” Charles County Commissioners’ President Peter Murphy [D] also confirmed his county is dealing with several hundreds of new addictions annually and while some of those involve heroin, the potent substance “is very often not the first drug.” Noting the variety of reasons individuals have for using drugs, Murphy declared “it’s hard for government to get its hands around that.”

O’Connor was the first of several speakers to criticize the Maryland General Assembly for decriminalizing marijuana in 2014. During testimony from the region’s law enforcement officials, St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Richard Fritz [R] called the civil fine now levied against marijuana users in Maryland “laughable. I still believe marijuana is a gateway drug.”

Laura Martin, Calvert County State’s Attorney, told the task force that two-thirds of the cases her office prosecutes are drug-related. We are focusing our attention on the prosecution of drug dealers. Calvert has its share of high-profit drug peddlers,” Martin stated, “and many of the career pushers who are convicted will spend a quarter of their sentence in jail.” Martin and Fritz agreed that more emphasis needs to be placed on drug rehabilitation programs being offered in detention centers and penitentiaries.

Calvert County Health Officer Dr. Laurence Polsky indicated the county’s health department has interacted with several local agencies, and is collaborating with the public school system. We are also encouraging local physicians to rethink their philosophy on pain management.

The most dramatic testimony was delivered by parents who have lost young adult children to drug addiction. They explained that their children were not the prototype drug abusers.

Citizens who wish to send remarks, solutions or questions may do so at http://governor.maryland.gov/ltgovernor/home/lt-governor-boyd-k-rutherford/

Margit Miller / Calvert Beacon