A nonprofit group concludes that communities throughout Massachusetts are experiencing an epidemic of substance abuse. The Boston area has had a particularly high number of emergency room visits involving illicit drugs.
The Boston region ranked first among major metropolitan areas in emergency department visits involving illicit drugs, according to a report by the Massachusetts Health Council which cites a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2009.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick called the report worrisome, according to the Associated Press. The problem was the easy availability of potent heroin, he said.
Communities need to remain vigilant against the dangers of illicit drugs and the heavy toll that they can put on communities across the nation.
