Desperate Need of AddictionTreatment Centers

We the undersigned,

Would like to bring to your attention the dire need that Cecil County has for addiction treatment centers. If there were more options available for addicted persons the following statistics have the potential to curtail, and possibly dissipate. Eighty to ninety percent of crime in Cecil County is drug related, this includes; thefts, robberies, burglaries, "shots fired", and domestic assault and abuse (Cecil County Drug Awareness Forum, 2011). Deaths by overdose in Cecil County are on the rise, in 2008 there were 16 deaths and in 2009 there were 21, 2010/2011 are not yet available (Cecil County Drug Awareness Forum, 2011). One most recent death that took place in Cecil County was with an opiate addicted person who had tried vigorously to recieve treatment, but because all local facilities had waiting lists the person was not able to get the treatment they needed and devastating consequences resulted. Cecil County has the 2nd highest drug induced death rate in Maryland, second only to Baltimore City (Cecil County Drug Awareness Forum, 2011). The most commonly abused substances are found to be opiates, prescription drugs, and cocaine (Cecil County Drug Awareness Forum, 2011). One type of treatment center that would be extremely beneficial to opiate and prescription drug abusers would be MMT (Methadone Maintenance Treatment), methadone maintenance treatment provides the opiate addict with individualized health care and medically prescribed methadone to relieve withdrawal symptoms, reduce opiate craving, and bring about a biochemical balance in the body (www.whitehousedrugpolicy.com, 2010).Ten percent of eighth graders in Cecil County Public Schools report using an illicit substance within the last year (Cecil County Drug Awareness Forum, 2011). This statistic is disturbing to say the very least. There were 552 drug arrests in 2009 and 579 drug arrests in Cecil County in 2010 (Cecil County Drug Awareness Forum, 2011), as you can see crime related to drug use is only escalating in Cecil County. We must be among those who reach out and strive to ensure that there is adequate treatment available to the suffering addict, this can only be done if Cecil County Congress allows those wishing to fulfill this void, to do so. MMT allows patients to be free from opiate addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that, among outpatients receiving MMT, weekly opiate use decreased by 69%, criminal activity decreased by 52% and full-time employment increased by 24% (Office of National Drug Policy, 1998). In a recent study of drug treatment, researchers found that rates of illegal drug use, criminal activity, and hospitalization were lower for MMT patients than for any other type of drug treatment program (www.whitehousedrugpolicy.com, 2010). In Cecil County, where crime, death, and violence is increasing at an alarming rate, there is a great need for more addiction treatment centers and less stigmatizing, the community is only going to get worse if this continues.
Thank you so much for taking the time out to read our letter, hopefully there is brighter days ahead for the community of Cecil County.
Sincerely,