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1 week ago | 
mobtownredux.news | Logan Hullinger
Flanked by a cadre of cops and city officials, Mayor Brandon Scott on Wednesday announced the takedown of a drug trafficking organization in Curtis Bay — yet the aftermath of these coveted busts can be deadly for drug users. The joint operation, conducted by law enforcement agencies at every level of government, yielded 11 arrests and was touted as a valiant effort under the city's Group Violence Reduction Strategy during a press conference at the Curtis Bay Recreation Center.
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2 weeks ago | 
mobtownredux.news | Logan Hullinger
Buttressed by a windfall of opioid restitution dollars, Mayor Brandon Scott's $4.7 billion budget proposal is nonetheless shrouded in uncertainty as to whether harm reduction initiatives will be funded to their full potential. Scott unveiled his proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year on Wednesday, coming on the heels of a barrage of austerity measures from the White House.
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3 weeks ago | 
mobtownredux.news | Logan Hullinger
In the face of federal funding cuts, Baltimore officials and members of a new board overseeing funds from opioid lawsuits are concerned whether a deluge of austerity measures could hamper the city's momentum in addressing the overdose crisis. Members of Mayor Brandon Scott's administration and the Opioid Restitution Advisory Board came together for the first time on Wednesday.
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1 month ago | 
mobtownredux.news | Logan Hullinger
This year's legislative session in Annapolis is undoubtedly a disappointment for harm reductionists. Two crucial bills that would help prevent overdose deaths are slated for the chopping block, marking another year the suits and ties in the General Assembly fail to pass drug policy reform. Yet it isn't a complete blowout.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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2 months ago | 
mobtownredux.news | Logan Hullinger
πWelcome to the first edition of the Mobtown Redux newsletter. Remember to subscribe or donate to support independent journalism. Public hearings scheduled, public hearings canceled. A new chapter of Baltimore's overdose crisis response has begun, yet officials are already ensnared in political theater that could endanger the city's response to a decadeslong public health catastrophe. As the suits and ties in City Hall play games, people continue to die.
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2 months ago | 
mobtownredux.news | Logan Hullinger
Welcome to Mobtown Redux, a newsletter covering addiction, drug policy and the harm reduction movement in Baltimore. This marks a new chapter of harm reduction journalism in the epicenter of the overdose crisis. The decision to launch this publication comes after some self-reflection. As my freelancing gigs pick up, I've realized that I'm now in a place where it's no longer sustainable to balance running Mobtown Mag, my former publication, while also pursuing freelance opportunities.
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2 months ago | 
mobtownredux.news | Logan Hullinger
Fatal overdoses plummeted in Baltimore last year, marking the lowest death toll in nearly a decade — but the crisis's disproportionate impact on Black residents remains a harsh reality. Data released by the Maryland Department of Health last week showed Baltimore recorded 680 deaths in 2024, a 35% decrease from the year prior.