Opioids remain one of the most serious public health threats in Howard County — and young people are at particular risk.

A 2022 county needs assessment found that young adults ages 18–24 were the age group most likely to end up in the hospital for substance use emergencies. Some of these cases begin with sports injuries where opioids were prescribed. Others connect to vaping, nicotine use, or the social isolation that increased during COVID.

Families often underestimate these risks, but opioid misuse often grows out of everyday challenges: experimenting with vaping, struggling with anxiety, or not having strong communication at home.

You are not powerless. Here are three protective steps families can take right now:

• Delay vaping and nicotine use. Early tobacco or vape use raises the odds of later substance misuse.
• Strengthen family communication. Guiding Good Choices workshops give parents tools to talk with kids about peers, stress, and risky choices.
• Connect youth to positive peers. Young adults are more likely to change when they see peers modeling healthy habits.

Howard County is also expanding resources. Naloxone training and kits are available to any resident (sign up here), and new harm reduction vending machines will soon make life-saving tools more accessible.

For a broader look at overdose trends and the county’s progress in reducing opioid deaths overall, see “Opioid Deaths Are Declining in Howard County — But the Fight Isn’t Over.”