Premature mortality in Maryland: a failure in governance?

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • fidelity

    piled higher and deeper
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 15, 2012
    22,400
    Frederick County
    I was looking up opiod deaths in Maryland and found this article ...

    https://madison.com/gallery/news/na...ion_896db162-8e2f-56bc-809e-b5c34f2a818e.html

    which indicated in 2016, these ran approx 30 per 100,000 and are on an upward trajectory. Screen capture is below.

    Out of curiosity, I looked up firearm related deaths and found this article (again with the latest data being from 2016) ...

    https://247wallst.com/special-report/2018/02/20/states-with-the-most-gun-violence-2

    These are approx 12 per 100,000. Second screen capture is below.

    What was interesting is the breakdown of the firearm related deaths in Maryland. Unlike most states, Maryland actually has significantly more firearm related homicides than suicides. It's a gross deviation from the national average. Maryland has this problem independent of strong gun control laws and despite being one of the wealthier states in the country.

    To me this suggests a failure, in part, by elected officials to confront a problem that is likely interrelated - drug overdoses and violence in the same areas. Most obviously, in Baltimore city, we have had elected officials vilify law enforcement and even act in antagonism to them. It's clear that this method of governance has been ineffective and likely resulted in significant societal costs. Instead of ineffectual gun laws to give the appearance of effort, maybe they should consider other strategies. When your murder rate and drug overdose rate is out of whack with the nation and you have a wealthy state that is in the top ten for taxation (when adjusted for cost of living), you have the resources, but you're doing something wrong. Given these are premature deaths, this is gross negligence and/or incompetence on the part of elected officials.
    17f34739276233b22af2eadd475e71fe.jpg
    91c698ed2f1ad5be44544296d018a595.jpg


    Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
     

    Bikebreath

    R.I.P.
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 30, 2009
    14,836
    in the bowels of Baltimore
    Cracking down on the problems, (opioid & murder rates), means disrupting your faithful constituents. It means derailing the ideology train. Even if that approach worked, it would be political suicide; only to be replaced by the same ideology in the next administration, because the public is uneducated. Personally I don’t see any way out. (Except me getting outta Dodge).
     

    frogman68

    товарищ плачевная
    Apr 7, 2013
    8,774
    And Bloodymore had 318 (275 by firearm) in 2016 with a population of 600k
    That leaves 118 for 6 million

    So a city with a population 10 percent of this state accounts for 3/4 of the murders.

    My math isn't good but that's just messed up mayoralship not governance
     

    Jim12

    Let Freedom Ring
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2013
    33,860
    It's an excuse for gun people control.

    Maryland is also one of the least free states in the country. It IS The Swamp.

    Rampant problems, an overbearing government that adds to them because it IS the problem, and fingerpointing away from the real causes.
     

    Mr. Ed

    This IS my Happy Face
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2009
    7,899
    Edgewater
    So, do we nuke it from orbit, just to be sure? Short of that, nothing's going to change for the better.
     

    ClutchyMcClutcherson

    Active Member
    Aug 29, 2016
    703
    Odenton, MD
    How many firearms related deaths can be attributed to the drug problem I wonder? I’m betting a good portion of those gun related deaths are from people getting shot over heroin, and crack.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    Government always goes about things all wrong. They are cracking down on legal opioid prescriptions. Great. It overwhelmingly hurts patients and annoys doctors. People abusing may get caught. Nobody in my practice has caught anyone with the new measures put in place.

    For those who are caught, will they get treatment? Doubt it. They will go to heroin. This will increase accidental overdoses because they don't know what they are doing.

    There are still very few viable treatment options......
     

    Jim12

    Let Freedom Ring
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2013
    33,860
    How many firearms related deaths can be attributed to the drug problem I wonder? I’m betting a good portion of those gun related deaths are from people getting shot over heroin, and crack.

    I pressed that theory here years ago. Glad someone agrees. It's pretty much common sense, supported by statistics. Gangs, too.

    It's not "gun violence." It's "drug trafficking violence" and "gang violence," and should be part of the nation's drug epidemic and gang violence statistics.

    Only problem is, that would put the focus where it belongs -- on people instead of guns -- which contradicts their real agenda.
     

    ClutchyMcClutcherson

    Active Member
    Aug 29, 2016
    703
    Odenton, MD
    Government always goes about things all wrong. They are cracking down on legal opioid prescriptions. Great. It overwhelmingly hurts patients and annoys doctors. People abusing may get caught. Nobody in my practice has caught anyone with the new measures put in place.

    For those who are caught, will they get treatment? Doubt it. They will go to heroin. This will increase accidental overdoses because they don't know what they are doing.

    There are still very few viable treatment options......

    I agree with you BUT.... a huge part of the problem in the past was overprescribing doctors, pain management clinics, and no guidelines from state to state to track people abusing and distributing the narcotics. Not every doctor is responsible like you are. That’s where part of the problem lies.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    I agree with you BUT.... a huge part of the problem in the past was overprescribing doctors, pain management clinics, and no guidelines from state to state to track people abusing and distributing the narcotics. Not every doctor is responsible like you are. That’s where part of the problem lies.

    No question.

    I finished residency in 2003. We were taught that pain was the 5th vital sign. To treat pain....with opiates. That OxyContin was safe. If people were still in pain, increase the dose. I was part of the problem because I followed the guidelines. Hindsight is 20/20. Another part of the problem is we don't talk about that. What was good, now is bad. We offer no support to the patients we screwed. We treat them like criminals. Not everyone was hooked by the medical establishment. Not even the majority.
     

    ClutchyMcClutcherson

    Active Member
    Aug 29, 2016
    703
    Odenton, MD
    Totally agree with you Teratos. Most doctors I’ve spoke to say about the same thing.

    And I agree we can’t put all the blame on the medical establishment. A lot of it is people starting at a young age with experimenting with pills, and other stuff. And at some point we have to just face it and say it, SOME PEOPLE JUST WANNA GET HIGH. It doesn’t matter the type of drug. If it weren’t heroin it would be something else highly addictive.

    And one final point on this. Now more so than the heroin epidemic it’s a Fentanyl epidemic. Naively I used to think it was crooked doctors sending out the fentanyl to the dealers. This is back when it first started with the heroin mixed with fentanyl. And most people you talked to would have agreed with that theory. But it’s not the doctors. It’s the factories in China shipping that stuff out like cheap sneakers. It’s really crazy when you think about it.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    Totally agree with you Teratos. Most doctors I’ve spoke to say about the same thing.

    And I agree we can’t put all the blame on the medical establishment. A lot of it is people starting at a young age with experimenting with pills, and other stuff. And at some point we have to just face it and say it, SOME PEOPLE JUST WANNA GET HIGH. It doesn’t matter the type of drug. If it weren’t heroin it would be something else highly addictive.

    And one final point on this. Now more so than the heroin epidemic it’s a Fentanyl epidemic. Naively I used to think it was crooked doctors sending out the fentanyl to the dealers. This is back when it first started with the heroin mixed with fentanyl. And most people you talked to would have agreed with that theory. But it’s not the doctors. It’s the factories in China shipping that stuff out like cheap sneakers. It’s really crazy when you think about it.
    Yes, it is crazy. I also believe that the China connection is State (China) sanctioned. They say they have cracked down......

    Now we have carfentanil. It seems to originate from China. This stuff is so potent it can be weaponized as a nerve agent. Responsible for a lot of deaths. Also resistant to Narcan.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    I have a warped viewpoint . I don't care about abusers dieing from ODs , Darwinism is action, good riddence .

    I DO care about people in legitimate need being hindered by wrong minded "crackdowns " not able to get needed medication . Again I may be a statistical freak , but had an Uncle and Grandparent spend decades bedridden with extreme pain , that probably would have been substantially had lives if Oxy were around then . And my Father wouldn't have spent his final days with cancer screaming with pain whenever he was conscious .
     

    danb

    dont be a dumbass
    Feb 24, 2013
    22,704
    google is your friend, I am not.
    Maryland drug and overdose deaths have run at least twice the homicide rates for years. Back as far as I could get data.

    Under O'Malley there were a few changes to tighten prescription rules, and under Hogan more.

    Its hard to say if the government can really fix this. Do people throw their life away for drugs because generally life sucks and its an escape? Or vice versa? Lots of people take opiates and put the pills down when they have to. Its probably the case that heavy drug use, and getting into the drug distribution bidnez, are both closely related to the lack of economic opportunity and shitty schools in Baltimore. I do not know I would look to the government to fix what they seems to have ****ed up.

    As for "drug overdoses and violence in the same areas." Appalachia and Cumberland have a huge opiate problem. Baltimore has had a high murder rate since 1800s. What makes pockets of Chicago, Baltimore, and New Orleans special? Is it drugs, or pockets of culture that simply do not value life and shoot people over grudges? By banning drugs, the law actually encourages lawless economic activity, where contracts are handled at gunpoint. But... we simply don't see the same murder rate in Appalachia or rural MD, so its hard to say the murder rate is solely drug related.
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,915
    Messages
    7,258,449
    Members
    33,348
    Latest member
    Eric_Hehl

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom