There have been 774 overdoses in Anne Arundel County so far this year, a 14.5% increase from the end of November 2019. Included in that number is 136 fatal overdoses, an increase of 17% over this time last year. The chart below illustrates this concerning change following the significant drop in both deaths and overdoses last year compared to the two previous years.
Safe Stations
The Safe Stations program allows individuals seeking treatment for addiction to visit any police or fire station to receive care, dispose of paraphernalia, and participate in a recovery program without the fear of being arrested. The primary concern is that treatment and recovery is available to those who need it. If there is an active arrest warrant for a non-violent offence, the individual is put in the care of the Crisis Response Team while continuing with treatment. Safe Stations are open 24 hours every day!
What are Opioids?
Opiates/ opioids are drugs that are used to relieve pain because of the way they suppress the central nervous system. This method of pain treatment causes many individuals to become tolerant of the drug. When this happens, a higher dose of the drug is needed to achieve the same pain-relieving effect. For many people, this is how addiction begins.
Opioid Overdose Response Training: Naloxone is a prescription medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose to prevent death. Save a life by learning how to identify signs of an overdose and administer naloxone. Go to aahealth.org/events/oort to register.
