Facts
Primary methods of diversion being reported in Maryland are illegal sale and distribution by health care professionals and workers, "doctor shopping", forged prescriptions, and employee theft. In 1995 a program was created known as the DEA Mobile Enforcement Teams, or "MET". This was in response to the overwhelming problem of drugs and drug-related crimes across the nation. There have been eight MET deployments in the State of Maryland since the inception of the program: Baltimore (2), District Heights, Hyattsville, Hagerstown, Annapolis (2), and Laurel. Maryland's drug problem is complicated by the presence of two major metropolitan areas in the state: Baltimore and its surrounding counties in the northern part of Maryland, and the suburban counties of Washington, DC in southern Maryland. Law enforcement sources in cities and towns along the Eastern Shore and in western Maryland also state that crack cocaine is the primary drug threat in their areas. Current reports indicate that diversion of oxycodone products such as OxyContin® continues to be a problem in Maryland. The substantial demand for heroin in the Baltimore area of Maryland led to an increase in the drug's abuse among teens and young adults, who routinely drive into the city to obtain heroin for them and other local abusers. | 
