Addiction, also called substance use disorder (SUD), is a disease that changes the chemistry of the brain. In Baltimore City, the impacts of the Crack Cocaine Epidemic, the War on Drugs, heroin use, prescription drug misuse, and now fentanyl have shaped both how substance use affects our communities and how it is treated. For many years, substance use was treated as a crime instead of a health issue. Today, we know that when we treat the person first, support reaches the people who need it most.

Addiction is not a moral failing or a sign of weak character. At work, at home, and in the community, people living with substance use disorder deserve dignity and respect. The words we use matter, stigma doesn’t just hurt feelings, it can keep people from asking for help. Stigma can also keep families from talking about what they're going through, including grief.

Reducing stigma starts with giving people access to good information and useful resources. Baltimore’s Harm Reduction Vending Machines provide free, 24/7 access to hygiene kits, drug checking strips, safer sex kits, safe injection kits, and other harm reduction supplies, no questions asked. Our Community Risk Reduction Services Program (CRRS) provides HIV and STI testing, wound care supplies, and direct referrals to treatment, support services, and medical care, reinforcing that substance use disorder is a health condition. We also offer free naloxone through our mobile units and through individuals or organizations trained in our Overdose Response Program. 

Our programs work best when residents have a seat at the table. Community listening sessions help us understand your concerns and ensure Baltimore residents help shape the City’s ongoing response. 

Opioid use disorder (OUD) can develop in as little as five days and it can happen to anyone. People living with substance use disorder are often people we know and love and they deserve care that meets them where they are.