Awareness Campaign Combats Opioid Abuse

Fighting opioid abuse starts with understanding it, and the Maryland Department of Health has announced an Awareness Campaign that aims to educate the public on this crisis. The campaign has been publicized by the Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership, which is supported by MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital in Leonardtown.

The state health department is working to reduce the rate of overdose deaths among Maryland residents, so its first campaign addresses the social stigma associated with opioid addiction. This stigma discourages many people from seeking the right – and, in many cases, life-saving – medical treatment.

“Through public awareness and education, we can help those seeking treatment overcome the stigma that often comes with addiction,” said Tammy Loewe, behavioral health director at the St. Mary’s County Health Department. “These campaigns are a valuable tool in the fight against the opioid crisis in our state and our county.”

Using the tagline “Less Judgment. More Compassion,” the anti-stigma campaign demonstrates that opioid addiction is not a moral failing that needs to be judged, but is in fact a chronic disease that requires and deserves treatment.

The second part of the awareness campaign, “Talk to Your Doctor,” urges everyone to speak candidly with their health care providers when they are being prescribed an opioid pain medication because the medications can be so highly addictive. The proactive message of the campaign is: “Take charge of your health. Reduce the risk of addiction. Talk to your doctor about opioid pain medications.”

Opioids are addictive pain  medications that are either manmade or naturally derived from the opium poppy plant. Some are prescription drugs like oxycontin, morphine, and fentanyl, and others are made for the illegal drug market, like heroin. Even a prescription is not a guarantee to avoid addiction, and prescriptions can be misused or distributed illegally.

For more information about state and local efforts to address opioid awareness and fight this health crisis, please visit the St. Mary’s County Health Department website.

For more information and one-click access to a full list of resources available at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, visit its Leader member page.