Logan Hullinger

1 month ago | mobtownredux.news | Logan Hullinger

In a country helmed by plutocrats who yearn for unfettered capitalism, money talks. And though Baltimore's fight against the overdose crisis is a complex public health issue, the means by which it is addressed largely relies on the same thing. Experts in the field of harm reduction and drug policy largely agree on strategies to prevent overdose deaths, including widespread naloxone distribution, syringe service programs and overdose prevention centers.

1 month ago | filtermag.org | Logan Hullinger

With a historic drop in overdose deaths and hundreds of millions of opioid settlement dollars heading to the city’s coffers, Baltimore has entered a new chapter in its overdose crisis response. And Sara Whaley has been tasked with leading it. Whaley, previously the top public health advisor to Mayor Brandon Scott (D) and program director of the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative, was named Baltimore’s first-ever executive director of overdose response on February 12.

1 month ago | mobtownredux.news | Logan Hullinger

Dozens of harm reductionists descended upon Annapolis this week to convince lawmakers to prioritize saving lives as they weigh bills that could bring formative changes to state drug policy — and I was taken along for the ride. As part of Overdose Prevention Advocacy Day on Wednesday, I bussed to Maryland's capital with the Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition and other groups fighting for the well-being of drug users.

1 month ago | mobtownredux.news | Logan Hullinger

Saturday's newsletter is going to be a good one — I promise. But as someone with a brain still recovering from years of chaotic substance use, ideas for future editions of the Redux Newsletter are bound to run out at some point. I've always said journalists are nothing without their sources and, in my experience in the field over the last seven years, feedback and tips from readers often become hard-hitting news stories.

2 months ago | baltimorebeat.com | Logan Hullinger

This story was published in partnership with Mobtown Redux. Those who have personally experienced the impact of Baltimore’s overdose crisis now have a pronounced role in guiding the city’s efforts to combat it, marking the beginning of a new chapter in a decades-long struggle. 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.