Report: Fentanyl overdoses nearly quadrupled in 2016 vs. 2015 (WBFF)

Tuesday Jan 3rd, 2017

Maryland’s deadly addiction to opioids is getting worse according to recent statistics released by the State of Maryland.

Preliminary numbers from the first eight months of 2016 show the rate in which people are dying from heroin and fentanyl overdoses. Heroin overdoses have nearly doubled compared to 2015 figures and fentanyl overdoses have almost quadrupled.

Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen says, “There are more people here in Baltimore who die from overdoses than die from homicide and the numbers are increasing."

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When I’ve asked experts about these approaches, it’s not that any of them are bad. It’s that they fall short. For instance, Leana Wen, the former health commissioner of Baltimore (and soon-to-be president of Planned Parenthood), said that the Support for Patients and Communities Act “is simply tinkering around the edges.”

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