Baltimore leaders continue to examine opioid trends, consider solutions to drug crisis after mass overdose
Advocates and members of local and state fire, health and law enforcement agencies attended the hearing to share their perspectives on the city's opioid crisis and available addiction resources.
"I believe that it is integral to the success of our city that we talk about it openly," said Councilman Mark Conway. "That we get folks out of the shadows and out of…some of the difficulties and shame that comes with addiction to talk about what we're experiencing in our city."
During the hearing, agencies and advocates shared the latest data on opioid use and overdoses, and considered resources to curb the drug crisis.
According to City Council President Zeke Cohen's office, the city recorded more than 6,000 overdose deaths between 2013 and 2022.
Between 2012 and 2022, the city's overdose death rate passed that of other major cities, despite an effort to reduce cases by distributing naloxone, a medication that reverses overdoses, and implementing syringe exchanges.
In 2024, overdose deaths dropped by 25%, according to Cohen's office. The mass overdose in Penn North, which hospitalized 27 people, "reinforced the need for sustained public health engagement and stronger interagency coordination," Cohen said.
The mass overdose in Baltimore on July 10 is still under investigation, according to police. However, scientists with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) claim that samples collected from the site revealed a mix of illicit drugs that included fentanyl and N-Methylclonazepam, a powerful sedative.
Mayor Brandon Scott said police are still working to determine the source of the overdose, and were wary of NIST's results, saying they collect samples from several areas in the state.
On July 18, five more people were hospitalized after another overdose was reported in Penn North. Police said there was no evidence to suggest that the two incidents were related.
The overdoses prompted advocates and community partners to flood the Penn North community with resources and as part of an aggressive harm reduction effort.
Leaders with the Mayor's Office of Overdose Response and the city Health Department handed out Narcan and shared information about addiction treatment centers in the area.
Those in need of assistance can find resources by calling the 988 hotline or visiting the Maryland Department of Health's Overdose Response Program website here.
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