HOW MARYLAND GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY AGAINST OPIODS EPIDEMIC (HEROIN) (1413 hits)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!
The governor made the announcement Wednesday morning at the Maryland Emergency Management Agency.
"I will be signing an executive order declaring a state of emergency in response to rapid escalation of the heroin and opioid crisis in our state," Hogan said.
States of emergency are usually associated with weather events. Hogan said he considers the heroin opioid epidemic in Maryland to be a natural disaster, as deaths involving the drugs have doubled in the state in the last year.
"With this continuing threat increasing at such an alarming rate, we must allow for rapid coordination with our state and local emergency teams," Hogan said.
Hogan is issuing the state of emergency mainly to cut through red tape to give local emergency agencies more flexibility for prevention, treatment and enforcement efforts.
Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, who heads the governor's Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force, said the state of emergency will help his efforts.
"The fact of the matter is that people all across Maryland, and the nation for that matter, are looking for answers when it comes to this heroin and opioid epidemic," Rutherford said.
The governor has also pledged an additional $50 million in funding from the state and will continue to seek federal funds. Former MEMA Director Clay Stamp, who will lead the emergency coordination around the state, said it's all about saving lives.
"We have people dying every day in this state right now. (There's) probably no more important endeavor that I've been involved in my career in emergency management than what we're facing," Stamp said.
Maryland Democratic Party spokesman Bryan Lesswing released a statement, saying:
"It took two years and 2,600 deaths for Gov. Larry Hogan to finally follow through on what he promised to do on day one. While Gov. Larry Hogan's announcement today is a good start after two years of delay, Marylanders deserve to know how Hogan plans to defend another tool in fighting the heroin and combat epidemic -- the Affordable Care Act -- which has been a centerpiece in combating the crisis."
Work sessions with local and state emergency officials will begin immediately, officials said. The hope is actually to start to see some results within the next couple of months.
