Maryland Laws and Programs

The state of Maryland has a challenging drug situation due to its ideal positioning for drug trafficking. Interstate 95 runs through Maryland and connects several large cities, allowing for a large amount of drug smuggling to take place. Cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, club drugs, marijuana, and prescription drugs are the types of drugs most commonly abused in the state. Baltimore, Maryland, has the highest incidence of heroin use in the entire United States. A 2008 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) report states that the population of Maryland is 5.6 million, of which 23,285 are incarcerated. The violent crime rate is the third highest in the nation. In an effort to control some of the drug abuse, Maryland has established mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws, which require ...