Harm Reduction & Drug Policy
The harm reduction movement is facing an uphill battle, but there is power in numbers
"Being connected to drugs, whether it be use, sales or advocacy, means we are intimately aware of authoritarianism and fascism," said Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance.
Baltimore’s New Health Commissioner Wrestles With OD Crisis—and Trump
“I want to be compassionate,” Taylor said. “But does being compassionate mean that we are not going to be able to maintain our levels of federal funding, where we need to do all of the other services that we need to do?”
Opposition to methadone clinics is a deadly concession to Baltimore's NIMBYs
If NIMBYs have a problem with methadone clinics, they should be advocating for drug policy reforms that would make the life-saving medication easier to access.
Baltimore is watching the consequences of prohibition unfold before its eyes
The Baltimore Police Department's enforcement of prohibitionist policies continues to get drug users killed. Yet city officials have mostly sat on their hands as the drug supply wreaks havoc on vulnerable communities.
Booze-free holidays and the normalization of harm reduction
It's Sober October, and what may seem like a silly holiday is actually a sign of the normalization of harm reduction. Whether it's periods of abstinence or simply cutting back, these campaigns indicate we're getting one step closer.
As compassion in Baltimore wavers, support harm reduction journalism
Harm reduction journalism is more important than ever as the media and city officials disregard the livelihoods of those who use drugs.
Baltimore to distribute naloxone to neighborhood and community associations to curb in-home overdoses
Public health experts have said that naloxone was an important factor in the city’s historic drop in overdose deaths last year, and officials said on Thursday their goal is to get it into the hands of as many people as possible.
Expansion of life-saving medications for opioid use disorder in prisons delayed as access remains a public health threat
There are already concerns that the program, which allows opioid-use disorder medications to be covered by Medicaid, won’t go far enough. The program only covers the medications, which include methadone and buprenorphine, 90 days prior to release.
New data on Baltimore's OD crisis underscores the absurdity of local response
New state data on Baltimore's drug supply and fatal overdoses provides the latest insight into the city's crisis. Deaths are on the decline, yet the cops have opted to crack down — and the drug supply continues to evolve.
Baltimore's windfall of restitution funds isn't as much as you think
Baltimore is slated to receive $580 million total in restitution funds after the city accepted an offer from the judge in the case against McKesson and AmerisourceBergen. That seems like a lot of money — until you put it in context.
As Trump targets Baltimore’s unsheltered population and harm reduction funding, Mayor Scott offers many words, few actions
Mayor Brandon Scott has appeared on national television five times this week to rebut Trump’s lies about violent crime, but he still hasn’t detailed a plan to protect Baltimoreans dealing with homelessness and substance use disorder.
Maryland is without any harm reduction training program after dropping Baltimore nonprofit
Since July 1, there has been no organization helming the Maryland Department of Health’s statewide harm reduction training program, and all harm reduction training modules have been scrubbed from the internet.