BALTIMORE'S LARGEST HEROIN
TREATMENT CLINIC -- WHICH
ADMINISTERS THE ADDICTION-
MANAGEMENT DRUG "METHADONE"
ALONG WITH INTENSE COUNSELING
-- IS NOW TREATING áTHREE-
THOUSAND PEOPLE EVERY DAY.
THAT'S UP FROM ABOUT 22-
HUNDRED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. AS
ABC-2 NEWS CHRISTIAN SCHAFFER
FOUND OUT -- THE PROBLEM MIGHT
NOT BE WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE
THE CLINICS.. IT MIGHT BE
WHAT'S GOING ON áOUTSIDE THEM:
3
IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF
2017, THERE WERE 159 OPIOID-
RELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS IN
BALTIMORE CITY.THAT'S ALMOST
TWO EVERY DAY.THIS SUMMER,
BALTIMORE CITY MAYOR CATHERINE
PUGH SAID AFTER áYEARS OF
RELYING ON METHADONE CLINICS
LIKE TURNING POINT IN EAST
BALTIMORE -- WHICH THREE
THOUSAND PEOPLE USE EVERY DAY
-- ALONG WITH SMALLER CLINICS
AROUND THE CITY, IT MIGHT BE
TIME TO TRY AND FIND A NEW
DIRECTIO3
THE MAYOR SAID ONE OF HER
CONCERNS IS WHAT GOES ON
áOUTSIDE A METHADONE CLINIC.SO
WE THOUGHT WE WOULD TAKE A
LOOK:
3
ACCOMPANIED BY SEVERAL OF HIS
SECURITY GUARDS, REVEREND
MILTON WILLIAMS, WHO FOUNDED
THE TURNING POINT CLINIC, TOOK
US OUT ON TO PORT STREET.IT'S
AN ALLEY BEHIND THE CLINIC
3
DEALERS, WHO HAVE LEARNED --
NOT EVERY TURNING POINT CLIENT
CAN RESIST THE URGE FOR A
CHEAP HIT OF WHAT THEY'RE
SELLING.OUT HERE, THE ADDICT'S
HIGH COMES WITHOUT THE
áCONTROL PROVIDED BY OF A DOSE
OF METHADONE, COUNSELING, AND
ENTERING THEIR NAME INTO THE
SYSTEM AT THE CLINIC.ON MANY
DAYS THIS PART OF PORT STREET
IS AN OPEN AIR DRUG MARKET..
BALTIMORE CITY'S POLICE
COMMISSIONER SAYS THERE'S BEEN
MORE THAN 230 SHOOTINGS NEAR
METHADONE CLINICS JUST OVER
THE PAST YEAR.LAST MONTH THE
MAYOR SAID TREATMENT áNEEDS TO
BE PROVIDED, BUT IN A SAFER
WA3
THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO TURNING
POING DON'T HAVE PLANE TICKETS
AVAILABLE.THEY SAY, A LACK OF
EASY ACCESS TO TREATMENT --
WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO áEND
THAT TREATMENT ALTOGETHER3
THE PASTOR SAYS THERE IS A
MORE DIRECT SOLUTION TO HIS
PROBLEM ON PORT STREET:3
HE DOES SAY HE TAKES NO
OFFENSE TO THE MAYOR'S
COMMENT, ABOUT PREFERRING
TREATMENT TO HAPPEN IN
"TIMBUKT3
THE IMPACT OF THE OPIOID
EPIDEMIC -- FELT AROUND THE
COUNTRY; A PRESEDENTIAL
COMMISSION, WORKING ON A
NATIONAL RESPONSE.IN
BALTIMORE, IN THE YEAR 2017,
OPIOIDS HAVE MADE A STRONG
CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY'S
RECORD HIGH PACE OF MURDERS.
AND THE EVEN áHIGHER PACE, OF
OVERDOSE DEATHS3
REVEREND WILLIAMS' MESSAGE TO
THE MAYOR, THE POLICE
COMMISSIONER AND THE HEALTH
COMMISSIONER -- NOT TO MENTION
THE GOVERNOR AND EVEN THE
PRESIDENT: TARGET AS MUCH
MONEY AS YOU CAN, TOWARD
HELPING PEOPLE GET BETTER,
SOONER:REPORTING FROM EAST
BALTIMORE, CHRISTIAN SCHAFFER
ABC-2 NEWS.
3
WE HAVE PART ONE OF THIS
STORY -- AND ALL OF THE
STORIES WE'VE BEEN DOING ON
THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC -- ON OUR
WEB SITE, ABC-2 NEWS-DOT-COM