Most substance abusers think they can stop using drugs without help. Unfortunately, formal drug and alcohol abuse treatment is needed to overcome the scourge that is addiction. Because drug abuse occurs with time, the user’s brain is altered, making recovery more difficult. The user gets stuck in a vicious cycle of continuous addiction. If you or someone you care about is addicted or heading down that road, US Rehab Network is here to help refer a local center that is right for you.
Rehab for drug abuse includes medical-assisted detox, counseling, support groups and aftercare. Formal treatment for substance abuse is important for a successful recovery. Drug abuse rehabilitation is particularly helpful for someone with a long-term substance abuse problem. After you receive the care necessary to change your cravings, ease your symptoms, and improve your outlook on life, you will be able to return to a productive life.
Maryland is a mid-Atlantic state that borders Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The state was named after Henrietta Maria of France, who was the Wife of Charles I of England. Common nicknames for Maryland are Old Line State, the Free State and Chesapeake Bay State. Considered the birthplace of religious freedom in America, Maryland was one of the original Thirteen Colonies. In terms of area, it is one of the smallest states, but it is also one of the most densely populated.
Maryland has the highest median income of all the states. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, gross state product is around $318 billion. Here there are more millionaires per capita than other states and the 7.8% poverty rate is the lowest in the U.S. Based on statistics from the Census Bureau, Maryland has a 5% unemployment rate.
For the 2012 reporting period of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Maryland-Washington D.C. area is known for cocaine, heroin, marijuana distribution and use. In the Baltimore region, there were 55,500 people who enrolled in publicly funded drug treatment programs in 2012 alone. This was a statewide increase since 2011. Patients were treated for many drugs with a notable increase in heroin and other opiates.
Drug overdose fatalities in Maryland also increased by 15% from 663 in 2011 to 761 deaths in 2012. While opioid deaths decreased, heroin overdose fatalities increased even more. In Baltimore alone, heroin poisoning deaths increased by 66%, which was one in three deaths in the State. In Maryland, forensic laboratory tests revealed that cocaine and marijuana accounted for around 70% of positive reports.
Montgomery
Called Montgomery County, the city has around 1.03 million inhabitants. Considered the most populous region of MD, Montgomery is included in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The areas is affluent, with 29% of residents holding post-graduate degrees. In 2011, Forbes ranked the city as the 10th richest in the U.S., with a median household income of $92,200. Montgomery’ racial makeup is 58% White, 17% Black, 14% Asian and 11% other races. The ancestry is German, Irish, English and American. In Montgomery, only 4% of families live below the poverty line. The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Maryland reported on the arrest of three brothers who conspired to distribute cocaine and heroin. The government cited that two of the brothers supplied the Montgomery County brother with the drugs. The three supplied the Maryland-DC area with these substances from 2014 to 2016. The defendants are facing up to 40 years in prison.
Germantown
An urbanized city in Montgomery County, Germantown is home to 91,000 people. Located 25 miles from Washington D.C, it is part of the Washingtonian Metropolitan Area. Three exits to Interstate 270 are less than one mile from the city and the Maryland Area Regional Commuter Train is within walking distance from downtown. Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene cited that from 2011 to 2012, central Maryland and the Germantown area saw a 47% increase in heroin overdose fatalities. The Eastern Shore rates increased 80% and the southern region saw a 54% increase in heroin-related deaths. The agency reports that the shift from prescription opioids to heroin is a growing trend and the largest group affected was young adults.
Silver Spring
An unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Silver Spring has a total population of around 76,700. The business hub lies at the north apex of Washington D.C., and there are 15,600 people per square mile here. The name Silver Spring came from a mica-flecked spring discovered by Francis Blair, who bought some of the land in the area where this spring was located. NBC Washington documented that 40 people were arrested after officials learned of a massive drug ring that operated out of a music studio in Silver Spring, MD. After a year, the federal prosecutors issued 32 arrest warrants. The drugs confiscated included crack cocaine and heroin with neighbors reporting drug deals being made on the playgrounds here.
Howard County/Ellicott City
Howard County’s seat is Ellicott City and around 288,000 people live here. The county is home to Columbia, a planned community that was developed by James Rouse in 1967. Cited for its affluence, excellent schools and quality of life, Howard County has an average household income of $109,000, which is the third highest in any U.S. county. In the 104,800 households, 39% have children under age 18 years in them. The racial composition of the city-county region is 62% White, 18% Black, 14% Asian and 6% Hispanic. Only 4.2% of the total Howard County population live below the poverty line. According to a 2016 article on patch.com, Howard County has a concerning opioid and heroin crisis that is growing. From 2011 to 2015, the heroin-related death rates have risen, with 247 in 2011 and 748 in 2015. The Maryland Department of Health reports that the popularity of illegal narcotics is at crisis levels in the state, and the problem is affecting all races, both sexes, and all socioeconomic groups. Fentanyl is on the rise in Howard County also and arrests in Maryland for the last five years have increased among persons aged 20 to 29 years.
Columbia
Located in Howard County Maryland, Columbia is the main city within the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. This planned community has 10 self-contained villages and it was formed to enhance the residents’ quality of life. James Rouse developed the community thinking of human values rather than engineering. Columbia consistently ranks on CNN Money’s Best Places to Live in America list. Around 104,000 people live in Columbia, MD, making it the second most populous city in Maryland. The Baltimore Sun reported on 26 people arrested in Columbia for distributing cocaine and prescription opioids in the area. In 2016, Maryland State Police charged the main dealer for conspiracy to distribute drugs, possession of large quantities of drugs, importing drugs into Maryland and operating as a kingpin. They found a kilogram of cocaine, 100 prescription pills, and $160,000 in cash. In another home, several arrests were made for manufacturing and producing marijuana.
Prince George County/Upper Marlboro
Prince George, known as P.G. County, borders Washington D.C. There are around 863,000 people in Prince George and its county seat is Upper Marlboro. Considered part of the DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, the county is home to Joint Base Andrews and the U.S. Census Bureau. The racial composition of Prince Charles is 65% African-American, 19% White, 4% Asian and 22% other races. The median age here is 35 years and the average family size is 3.31. Only 7.9% of the population of Prince Charles reside below the poverty level and the average family income is $83,000. A report out of the U.S. Department of Justice office discusses 17 people being indicted in connection of an ongoing investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department Safe Streets Task Force. Of those arrested, one was a Prince George County police officer. The arrests were related to distribution of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. The conspiracy involved an operation that ran from 2011 to 2013.
Baltimore
The largest city in Maryland is Baltimore. Established by the Constitution of Maryland, Baltimore has a population of 622,000. The city’s Inner Harbor was once the main port of entry for immigrants coming to America. It was founded in 1729 and is home to the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins University. Often called the “City of Neighborhoods,” Baltimore has hundreds of districts. The Star-Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key here during the War of 1812. According to ABC News, Baltimore, MD is the heroin capital of the United States. Government officials estimate that around 10% of the city’s residents have a heroin addiction. In a city of 645,000 people, the Baltimore Department of Health believes 60,000 are addicted to heroin. The heroin is being smuggled into America from Columbia, East Asia and Mexico, according to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents.
Anne Arundel
The area was named for Lady Anne Arundell, a member of the Cornwall, United Kingdom family and wife of Cecilius Calvert, second Baron and Lord Baltimore. Included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, Anne Arundel County has 1,296 inhabitants per square mile. In terms of ancestry, 23% of residents are German, 19% Irish, 12% English, 7% Italian, 5% Polish, and 4.5% American. The average household income for Anne Arundel, Maryland is $83,500. According to a report by HCDrugFree, Anne Arundel County Executive, Steve Schuh, announced that the county had a public health emergency regarding heroin addiction and overdose deaths as of 2015. The officials intend to work to introduce a resolution to the council addressing this problem.
Hartford County/Bel-Air
With 245,000 residents, Hartford is a county in Maryland. Bel-Air is the county seat and it is part of the DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area. Around 80 musicians are part of the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra in Howard County. Cultural hot spots include Hartford Community college’s Blackbox Theatre, HCC Actors Guild and Joppa Recital Halls. In 2015, the Baltimore Sun warned citizens regarding heroin dangers and to be prepared to act against them. The Harford County Sheriff’s Office responded to 28 heroin-related overdose deaths and another 173 calls regarding non-fatal heroin overdoses during 2015 alone. In 2016, there were 279 calls regarding overdose deaths and 52 people died due to a heroin overdose that year.
Frederick County/Frederick
This city is home to around 65,000 people. Frederick was an intersection of the north-south Indian trail and the east-west routes to the Chesapeake Bay, which became Washington D.C. In Frederick, the Hispanic population has increased 271% since 2000. The racial makeup is 61% White, 19% Black, 6% Asian and 14% Hispanic. The average family size here is 3.11, and 30% of homes have children age 18 or younger in them. Cited in the Frederick News Post, the city has a heroin addiction surge, with 10 people dying from heroin overdoses in 2012. Statewide, Maryland’s overdose death rate has increased by 54% from 2011. The rise of reported overdose fatalities has taken a toll on urban areas as well as surrounding rural communities.
Carroll County
Around 167,000 people reside in Carroll County, MD. The county seat is Westminster and it is a predominantly rural-suburban area. The largest employer here is Carroll County Public Schools, and JoS. A. Bank Clothiers has its headquarters here as well. Five county commissioners govern Carroll County and voters have rejected charter amendments for a government involving a council and County Executive. CBS Baltimore, detailed that the Carroll County Drug Task Force joined up with the Maryland State Police in 2016 to arrest two drug kingpins in the area. They confiscated 1,000 grams of cocaine and 600 grams of heroin which the suspects planned to distribute in the region.
Charles County/La Plata
La Plata is the county seat of Charles County, Maryland andis located in the southern central portion of the state. Around 147,000 people live in Charles and it was named for Charles Calvert, the third Baron Baltimore. There is a population density of 320 inhabitants per square mile in this county. The racial composition is 50% White, 41% Black, 3% Asian, 1% American Indian, 1% other races and 4% Hispanic. The median income for a household in Charles Maryland is $89,000 and 3.7% of families subside below the poverty line. The Charles County Government notified the public in a press release that the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP) awarded the county a $98,554 grant to fight/prevent heroin and opioid abuse. The grant is to be used for a medically-assisted treatment program through the Family Recovery Court (FRC), which began operating in 2010. Since its inception, FRC has served 305 people, including 110 parents and 195 children.
Waldorf
Located in Charles County, MD, Waldorf is an unincorporated community with 68,000 residents. Positioned 23 miles southeast of Washington D.C., Waldorf was settled before 1900 as a rural crossroads area and it was originally called Beantown after a local family. In 1880, the General Assembly of Maryland changed the name to Waldorf in honor of William Waldorf Astor. In the 1950s, Waldorf was known as a gambling destination but gambling was outlawed here in 1968. The District of Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office announced in late 2014 that a Waldorf man was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute both heroin and cocaine. From 2010 through 2013, the man supplied the region and sent many shipments weighing 140 pounds each from California to Maryland through private freight carriers.