“Heroin Highway” Reveals Serious Opioid Problem in Maryland

Like other states across the country, Maryland has been hard hit by the opioid epidemic. In fact, in the first half of 2018, there was a 15 percent increase in opioid-related fatalities, compared to the first half of 2017.

Unfortunately, the numbers of opioid related deaths have been on the rise in recent years. According to law enforcement officials, the corridor along Interstates 70 and 81 – also known as “Heroin Highway” – is the place to go for people who want to score their opioid drug of choice.

The Maryland Department of State Police is taking proactive steps to address this issue, in an effort to prevent the flow of heroin into the state, and to develop effective solutions for victims of overdoses.

Maryland Takes a Stand

According to the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), this past January, Maryland was one of eight states that issued emergency declarations to address the opioid epidemic. First responders, including Maryland State Troopers, are now trained on how to administer the overdose prevention medication, Naloxone, which can safely reverse an opioid overdose.

The Maryland State Police was one of the first in the country to provide this training and equip patrol troopers with the medication. The Naloxone – also known as Narcan® and Evzio® – comes in vials, which troopers carry with them on their gun belts. If an individual is overdosing, the trooper can administer the medication, either as a shot or an intranasal spray.

Since 2015, over 25,000 people have been trained on how to deploy Narcan® in an emergency situation. As a result, over 1,000 lives have been saved, according to the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD).

However, there was a drastic increase in the number of times Nalaxone was administered between 2015 and 2017. Earlier this year, while on a routine patrol, a Maryland State Trooper had to administer a life-saving dose of Narcan® to a man who was suffering a heroin overdose in the middle of the road in Cecil County.

Unfortunately, this is just one of many examples of opioid overdoses that could have been fatal if police had not shown up with the Naloxone.

Drugged Driving Dangers

According to a Public and Government Affairs Manager from AAA Mid-Atlantic, as the number of opioid-related deaths continues to rise, there is a great deal of evidence that suggests that driving while under the influence of opioids threatens the safety of other motorists on the road.

Opioids can cause extreme drowsiness, and can impair cognitive function, which can impact a person’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.

Maryland is one of the first states to take aggressive steps towards combating this problem.

Baltimore Car Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Represent Victims of Drugged Driving

If you have been seriously injured in a car accident involving another driver who was under the influence of opioids, contact the Baltimore car accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton as soon as possible. This epidemic has had a devastating impact on communities and families, as well as on the number of serious, sometimes fatal car accidents. We take this issue very seriously, and we will work tirelessly to determine who is responsible for your injuries. Our dedicated team will secure the maximum financial compensation you deserve. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent car accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.