Lived experience is crucial in guiding Baltimore’s overdose crisis response, new board members say
Mayor Brandon Scott swore in 20 members of the city’s new Opioid Restitution Advisory Board last week, eight of whom were chosen because of their personal history with substance use disorder and overdose.
Petty politics in the epicenter of the OD crisis
Welcome to the first edition of the Mobtown Redux newsletter. Let's talk about some political theater.
Introducing Mobtown Redux, a Baltimore-based harm reduction newsletter
This marks a new chapter of harm reduction journalism in the epicenter of the overdose crisis.
Baltimore OD deaths plummeted in 2024, but Black residents still bear the brunt of crisis
Data released by the Maryland Department of Health last week showed Baltimore recorded 680 deaths in 2024, a 35% decrease from the year prior.
Baltimore harm reduction orgs fear funding cuts, ramped-up drug war under Trump
“All of the moves this administration is talking about implementing spell death for the people we serve,” said Candy Kerr, spokesperson and policy advocate for the Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition.
Maryland Health Department approved for pre-release SUD treatment through Medicaid
The move allows the state to begin providing targeted Medicaid services for incarcerated individuals who have substance use disorders or serious mental illnesses.
Maryland lawmakers renew push for overdose prevention centers
A bill that would legalize overdose prevention centers will soon be scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee, and a companion bill will be introduced in the House.
With Baltimore's legal saga almost over, public discourse about OD crisis may soon begin
Since this spring, Mayor Brandon Scott's administration has repeatedly refused to comment on matters related to drugs or the overdose crisis, citing ongoing litigation.
Baltimore’s $5.2 billion opioid lawsuit now in the hands of one judge
The city is suing McKesson and Cencora, formerly called AmerisourceBergen, to abate an addiction and overdose crisis it contends was fueled by the companies.
