Brandon Scott: To save lives from drug overdoses, Maryland must lead

In 2021, nearly eight Marylanders died each day from an overdose. In my city of Baltimore alone, our community lost more than 600 people last year –– a stunningly tragic situation that demands action. These preventable deaths are the consequences of systemic discrimination and suffering rooted in the war on drugs. Decades of police violence and generations of mass incarceration have pushed people who use drugs into the shadows. Our family members, our friends, and our neighbors are disappearing into social and emotional isolation, where they engage in risky behaviors that put their health and that of others at risk. But in Baltimore, we’re charting a new course toward proven solutions to address the overdose crisis and save lives.