Baltimore not doing enough for Black communities affected by opioid crisis, group says

BALTIMORE -- Baltimore officials are promising more rigorous oversight and better resources following record-high opioid deaths published in a groundbreaking report by the Baltimore Banner and New York Times.

Michael Eugene Johnson, from the Coalition of Leaders in Baltimore, accused the city of failing to prioritize the needs of Black communities affected by the opioid epidemic. 

Some organizers say the city's efforts are too little, too late, and that they still risk overlooking the people who need help the most.

Baltimore's opioid death rate from 2018 to 2022 was close to double that of any other large U.S. city, with more than 6,000 residents dying of overdoses in the past six years, according to the report.  

Baltimore City councilmember Mark Conway said the city would hold four oversight hearings starting in July, but they would not include public testimony because the city is in active litigation with more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies.  

A trial has been set for September.

On Monday, Baltimore reached a $45 million settlement with pharmaceutical giant Allergan. 

Officials say the funds will be used to boost the city's overdose response efforts. This includes creating an "opioid stat" database to better track fatality trends. 

Some feel the city's response still risks overlooking one of the communities hardest hit by opioids.  

The death rate of Black men between the ages of 55 and 70 is roughly 20 times higher here than the nationwide average, according to the report. 

The remaining defendants in the city's lawsuit accounted for over 80% of the opioids aimed at Baltimore pharmacies, according to the mayor's office, which believes the city's case could result in a multi-billion-dollar payout.