Pubdate: Fri, 29 Aug 2014
Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)
Copyright: 2014 The Baltimore Sun Company
Contact:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37
Authors: Deanna Wilson, Stephanie Sparrow, Jennifer Kirschner
Note: Dr. Deanna Wilson is a fellow in adolescent medicine at the 
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Stephanie Sparrow is a 
University of Maryland clinical social worker. Jennifer Kirschner is 
director of the Baltimore Student Harm Reduction Coalition.
Page: 19

OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE PREVENTABLE

Last year, 858 Maryland residents died due to alcohol or drug 
intoxication; that's enough to replace the entire University of 
Maryland football team more than eight times.

This year is on track to be even more deadly, with a 33 percent 
increase in accidental opioid overdose deaths recorded in the first 
three months of 2014 alone. We do not want any more families, friends 
and communities to grieve their fallen loved ones. It is time for all 
of us to call this problem what is: an epidemic.

Any opioid, such as heroin or prescription medications like oxycodone 
and methadone, can cause an overdose death.

It most often occurs in people with a low tolerance, those with a new 
prescription, the recently incarcerated or the recently detoxed.

These populations must be extra cautious especially because heroin 
varies widely in strength and purity, and a "regular" dose can be 
fatal on any given day. Mixing opioids and alcohol or other drugs is 
also very risky.

Opioid overdoses, however, are easily reversible resulting in a 
literal second chance at life. Naloxone, a safe, easily administered 
prescription medication prevents death by restoring breathing just 
like using an Epi-pen to reverse a severe allergic reaction. 
Paramedics and some police officers use it as a first-line treatment, 
and now Marylanders who witness an overdose can get their own 
take-home naloxone kit after attending a brief training.

In the past few years, Maryland lawmakers passed important new laws 
aimed at decreasing the number of deaths from preventable overdose.

A revised Good Samaritan law goes into effect on Oct. 1 and improves 
the odds of getting medical attention for those experiencing an 
overdose by providing partial immunity against criminal charges for 
those who call authorities. For example, underage drinkers will not 
be held liable if they call 911 to get medical attention for a 
severely intoxicated friend.

Pragmatic policy decisions like these are an important start to 
actively address the harms of substance use in Maryland.

This year, local groups and organizations are calling attention to 
the preventable and widespread overdose epidemic during Maryland 
Overdose Awareness Week, Aug. 28th through 31st. This is a time to 
spread the message that overdose death is preventable, to commemorate 
those who lost their lives or were injured due to overdose and to 
acknowledge the grief felt by their families and friends.

Already, over 100 family members, concerned friends and active drug 
users have been helped after only one day of Overdose Awareness Week. 
For example, on Aug. 28 in Baltimore City, opiate drug users received 
training and free naloxone at the city's mobile needle exchange 
sites. Also on the 28th, friends and families of opiate users were 
trained on overdose prevention by the Baltimore Student Harm 
Reduction Coalition (BSHRC) at the New Antioch Church (BSHRC is a 
diverse group of students, health professionals and community members 
committed to using harm reduction approaches to reduce the harmful 
consequences associated with drug use, sex work and other potentially 
dangerous activities, to achieve better health outcomes in Baltimore 
and around the state). Finally, a candlelight vigil will be held at 
the Towson Courthouse Square on Aug. 31 at 7:00 PM.

Even if you can't make it to any of these events, you can commemorate 
our losses and spread the word by visiting Health Care for the 
Homeless to view an art project memorializing those we have lost or 
even share your support on social media, using the hashtags 
#notonemore or #nomoreODinMD. Email  for 
more information on free overdose response training and other 
Overdose Awareness Week events.

If we only learn one lesson from Overdose Awareness Week, let it be 
that when prevention is possible, losing even one Marylander to 
overdose is unacceptable.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom