Not Here?

Last night I was scrolling through Twitter looking for local news. This caught my eye.

The tweet refers to this quote in the news report:

"We don't necessarily think the prescription medications are staying on the streets of Howard County. We think that perhaps they're being stolen here and taken into the city to be sold," Llewellyn said.

Now I am (obviously) not a police officer nor do I have any details of this case beyond those listed in the article. But I was intrigued by the suggestion of the tweet that perhaps, just maybe, people in Howard County were using opioids, too. Maybe that's why they were stolen? Is that possible?

We're only just beginning to make headway on this issue in Howard County. And plenty of people just don't want to talk about it. Drug abuse can't happen here. Addiction? In beautiful Howard County? How can it be?

Those who struggle with addiction, and their families members and friends, live with a sad and fearful secret. Better to be invisible than to ask for help and reveal one's failings. In the land of beautiful houses and lawns, "world class" education, and impresssive careers, the suffering and shame of addicts just doesn't "fit in."

It doesn't happen to nice people. It doesn't happen in Howard County. 

But it does. It really does, and it's heartbreakingly close all around us. Those prescription medications stolen from Howard County pharmacies may very well be heading to the city. But maybe, just maybe, they are feeding a very real epidemic right here at home.