PRINCE FREDERICK, Md.—Prescription pain medication misuse severely endangers users and often leads to heroin addiction, according to the Calvert County Health Department, which launched a public-awareness campaign this summer warning Calvert County residents. The campaign addresses rising opioid and opiate abuse in the county.
Requests for prescription drug addiction treatment have increased 350 percent in the past five years, according to the health department. Seventy percent of Calvert County residents said they know someone who misuses prescription opioids, which include painkillers such as Fentanyl, Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet and Demerol, and 55 percent of residents know someone who uses heroin, according to the Maryland Public Opinion Survey.
“The opiate problem in Calvert County is similar to the issues across the state and country,” said Julie Mulligan, prevention coordinator for Calvert County Health Department’s Calvert Substance Abuse Services. “Most users begin with a legitimate pain prescription for an injury or surgical procedure but may switch to heroin because it’s less expensive, easier to obtain and elicits a similar high.”
Anyone with access to prescription drugs is at risk of misusing them, Mulligan said, including those with access through family and friends or through legitimate or illegitimate prescriptions, doctors or pharmacies. Middle and high school students are particularly vulnerable amid pressure from peers and more freedom in adolescence. Misuse early in life increases the likelihood of substance-abuse disorders in adulthood.
“The individual may or may not be aware of the potential for addiction and begin taking more than prescribed,” Mulligan said. “Once addicted to the opiate, users may seek the drug from family or friends; they may steal others’ prescriptions; they may doctor-shop or purchase the prescriptions from a dealer.”
Opioid abuse suppresses the immune system and can lead to chemical dependence, overdose and death, according to the Calvert County Health Department. Physical signs of pill and heroin abuse include pinpointed pupils, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, skin abscesses, collapsed veins and itching or flushed skin. Other signs include increased need for money or privacy, fundamental changes in behavior, and withdrawal from family and friends, Mulligan said.
For more information, concerns or treatment options, Calvert County residents should call the Calvert County Health Department at 410-535-3079, ext. 6. Calvert Substance Abuse Services, part of the Calvert County Health Department, seeks to improve public health and safety by providing prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery services to Calvert County residents. As part of its efforts, the organization provides workshops, forums, presentations and trainings about substance abuse.
Opioid abuse is an escalating problem which the public needs to know about, Mulligan said. In response, the Calvert County Health Department is using original billboard, radio, cable and movie theater advertising (Vimeo video), fliers and posters, and social media (Facebook and Twitter) to reach Calvert County residents. The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene provided funding for the effort.
The Calvert County Health Department seeks to promote and protect the health of county residents by preventing illness and eliminating hazards to health. As an agent of both the state and county governments, the department enforces health laws, particularly addressing sanitation and communicable diseases, as well as provides health services to individuals and the community at large. For more, visit www.calverthealth.org or engage with the campaign at Facebook.com/ActNowCalvert or @ActNowCalvert.