One of the greatest public health challenges of our day remains the widespread use of illicit substances, particularly opioids. Over the past two decades dramatic increases in opioid use and opioid-related overdose deaths increasingly devastate our communities. While people of every social identity use illicit substances, people of color, poor people, and other marginalized groups are particularly targeted by the “war on drugs”. Now that the overdose epidemic has reached broader public awareness, how will we take account of the current needs, as well as the past harms done?

Please join us for a timely Pressure Points conversation on March 14th to discuss drug use and a range of strategies developed to address it. We’ll learn about harm reduction — a set of principles and practices aimed at promoting the health, dignity, and safety of those affected by substance use — and various harm reduction efforts in Baltimore. As an optional part of this event, we will provide opioid overdose response training and distribute naloxone kits (a.k.a. “Narcan,” the antidote to opioid overdose).