Cities on the Right Track: Media Coverage

Select Articles on OSI-Baltimore's National Conference on Public Drug Treatment Systems

Date:

August 28, 2006

An OSI-Baltimore-sponsored poll suggests that a majority of Maryland voters—from all political parties, genders, and racial and socioeconomic groups—believe that treatment is a viable alternative to prison for substance abusers and that the state's alcohol tax should be increased to pay for expanded drug treatment programs. Read a Baltimore Sun article about what was learned.

U.S. leaders were urged to take a cue from George Soros in an editorial in the Baltimore Sun. The piece notes that the White House has proposed reducing treatment funds when it is clearly “counterproductive” given the treatment gap. Read the editorial (subscription or payment required).

Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun columnist who has written extensively about the lack of drug treatment access for those in Baltimore who need it most, discusses the leadership role of George Soros and the Open Society Institute–Baltimore in substantial change in Baltimore, but states that more needs to be done and others need to step up to the plate. Read the article.

Baltimore City’s Health Commissioner, Joshua Sharfstein, released new numbers that indicated that the city has witnessed a steady decline in drug overdoses. He credits this downward trend in large part to the availability of increased drug treatment. Read a related USA Today story.

Many ideas were exchanged at the conference and once again, Baltimore’s positive trends were featured. Read a Washington Post article on the highlights.