WASHINGTON — A growing number of Maryland counties are going to court to fight the opioid crisis.
Harford County plans to join other communities to sue drug manufactures as the number of opioid overdose calls has risen there in recent years, including 80 deaths in 2017.
Fighting the problem is costly, from police to medical treatment, and a new treatment facility the county is planning.
“Harford County will move forward with it’s first 24-hour crisis center for those in their ultimate moment of need,” said County Executive Barry Glassman during his State of the County Address Tuesday evening.
“Together with the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health, Harford County Health Department and Healthy Harford, I will submit a $250,000 funding request in the upcoming budget, in addition to $250,000 we already dedicated to treatment locally,” he said. “We have leveraged that $250,000 into $1.3 million for folks that need treatment because recovery is possible.”
Glassman also has a plan to make sure the county can afford these projects.
“To recoup that financial cost to the sheriff, my departments, I will be directing the county law department to prepare (a request for proposals), as we will be joining other Maryland counties in suing opioid manufacturers and distributors.“
Baltimore, Anne Arundel, and Montgomery counties have also announced plans to sue prescription drug manufacturers and distributors.
They contend that drug makers don’t accurately represent how addictive the drugs are and push doctors to prescribe them. Therefore, they say, those companies are partially responsible for the epidemic of opioid abuse. Many heroin users started by abusing prescription drugs but switched to the cheaper street alternative as their addiction advanced.
