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SOCY 350 Assignment Two: Community Problem Analysis

(Your Name Here)

Name of the University or College

Name of the Course, Number, and Code

Name of the Professor

Date
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Community Problem Analysis

Key Aspects of the Problem.

The problem is the high opioid epidemic in Baltimore. As recent as the developments

have been, the situation continues to manifest both in acute and chronic settings, with some of its

most hardcore effects being felt in communities like Penn North. At least 27 people fainted

unconscious in Penn North in a span of hours in July 2025, according to The Washington Post.

Outreach workers, emergency responders, and volunteers were dispatched to revive victims and

forestall their deaths (Kiefer, 2025). This incident demonstrates how dangerous some

neighborhoods are and how overdoses can quickly inundate communities as well as health

systems.

The scope of the problem also appears in city- and state-level statistics. Overdose-related

deaths in Baltimore declined by about 25% in 2024, to about 700, the Baltimore Banner reported.

This was due to more access to naloxone and outreach in the community (Zhu, n.d.). But this

decrease hides some areas that are not yet addressing the problem. For example, in the 21217

ZIP code where Penn North is located, there were 73 overdoses that were fatal within a year,

which shows that the progress has not been equally distributed (Kiefer, 2025). Local media

outlets like WBAL highlighted at least 25 patients were admitted to the hospital during the July

2025 outbreak, with some in critical condition. This shows how intense mass overdose clusters

can become (WBAL, 2025; WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore, 2025).

The problem is driven by numerous causes, including: Fentanyl-contaminated drug

supplies, Baltimore's precarious open-air drug markets, and institutionalized disparities in

healthcare supply and access. Overdoses have repercussions that go beyond injuring one person:

they put a tremendous burden on emergency medical services, tear apart families, and make
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residents of the community who already feel poor and violent feel even poorer and more violent.

Baltimore's $266 million victory in its opioid settlement case against distributors will cover

prevention and treatment (Pierson, 2024), but the fact that focused overdose crises keep

happening means that the problem is structural and cyclical.

Two Different Points of View on this social problem.

The issue of drug overdoses in Baltimore is viewed differently by different groups, with

the public health approach and the public safety/law enforcement approach being the two most

common ones in the news.

From a public health perspective, overdoses are seen as a preventable outcome of

structural problems like poverty, not having access to healthcare, and the toxicity of the illegal

drug supply. Advocates argue that long-term harm reduction measures, such as giving out

naloxone, supervised outreach, and drug-checking programs, are very important. For instance,

Candy Kerr of the Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition emphasized that large-scale responses

shouldn't just happen during emergencies; they should be a regular part of outreach to save lives

(Kiefer, 2025). The Baltimore Banner also argues that the decrease in overdose deaths in 2024

showed that investments in harm reduction strategies are working. They also called for more

harm reduction strategies to be used in neighborhoods that are at risk (Zhu, n.d.).

The public safety/law enforcement approach highlights the disruptive effects of open-air

drug markets and repeated overdose events on neighborhood stability. Local news reports always

describe clusters of overdoses with urgent, crime-scene language like "25 hospitalized" or "5 in

critical condition," which makes it sound like a public safety emergency (WBAL, 2025;

CBSNEWS-Baltimore, 2025). This framing emphasizes the stress that first responders are under

when they have to use naloxone to bring people back to life over and over again, as well as the
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fear that people in the community feel. Politicians, like those who were interviewed for Reuters'

coverage of Baltimore's opioid settlement, also stress the need for accountability and punishment

for distributors and suppliers as a way to get to the bottom of the problem (Pierson, 2024).

Three Claims-Makers Mentioned in the News Stories.

The Media coverage of Baltimore's overdose crisis highlights multiple claim-makers:

people or organizations that shape how the public sees the problem by giving reasons, blaming

others, or suggesting solutions. Some of the most well-known claim-makers in the articles are:

Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition (BHRC), represented by Candy Kerr, in the

Washington Post article (Kiefer, 2025), Candy Kerr is a well-known claims-maker (Kiefer,

2025). BHRC is a nonprofit that advocates for harm reduction in communities, safer drug use,

and fairness in public health. Kerr sees overdoses as tragedies linked to the volatility of the illicit

drug supply and structural inequality. By emphasizing sustained outreach, naloxone distribution,

and testing strips—she frames harm reduction as an essential, life-saving public health response.

Baltimore city officials and First responders- City health leaders and emergency

personnel are frequent claim-makers in the local coverage (WBAL, 2025; WBAL-TV, 2025).

For instance, reports about the stress that mass overdose events put on hospitals and first

responders often include quotes from emergency medical services spokespeople. Their

statements frame overdoses as a community crisis that needs quick action and emergency

infrastructure. Through this lens, they highlight the human cost of overdoses and the logistical

burden they put on city systems.

City of Baltimore Legal Representatives and Political Leaders—According to a Reuters

report (Pierson, 2024), Baltimore officials who led the lawsuit against opioid distributors are the

main claim-makers. By securing a $266 million settlement, they framed corporate actors as
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responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic because they were careless and only cared about

making money. This group argues that punishing distributors and redirecting funds to treatment

programs is a very important step toward solving the overdose crisis.

Three ways the claims-makers attempt to make their points of view convincing.

Statistics and Data—claims-makers often rely on quantitative evidence to underscore the

severity of the overdose crisis. For instance, officials in Baltimore stress that 25 people were sent

to the hospital after a single mass overdose in Penn North (WBAL, 2025; WBAL-TV, 2025).

The Baltimore Banner also said that overdose deaths dropped sharply in 2024 after going up in

previous years (Zhu, 2025). By showing these numbers, claims-makers ensure credibility and

appeal to the public's logical understanding of the crisis.

Emotional and Humanizing Narratives- Harm reduction advocates such as Candy Kerr

from the Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition use personal and community-centered stories to

humanize the epidemic. By describing overdose as preventable tragedies and emphasizing how

outreach saves lives, Kerr appeals to compassion and empathy (Kiefer, 2025). This emotional

framing counters stigma and reframes people who use drugs not as criminals but as neighbors

who need help and respect.

Assigning responsibility and accountability- Political leaders and legal representatives

highlight systemic causes of the crisis by holding companies accountable. For instance, the City

of Baltimore's $266 million settlement against opioid distributors frames the overdose epidemic

not just as a medical or community problem, but as a direct result of businesses' negligence and

profit-driven practices (Pierson, 2024).

The extent to which the media has successfully attracted public attention to this problem.
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The Biltmore overdose crisis has been amplified significantly through local and national

media outlets, which influence how the public understands and prioritizes the issue. The

coverage by WBAL, CBS Baltimore, The Washington Post, and Reuters shows how the media

spotlight acute emergencies such as the Penn North mass overdose, and broader systemic issues,

like holding pharmaceutical companies legally responsible.

One of the key strengths of the media's role is its ability to dramatize the urgency of the

problem. For instance, WBAL and CBS News used breaking-news style coverage of overdose

clusters, highlighting the sudden hospitalization of 25 people in one neighborhood (WBAL,

2025; CBS News, 2025). This framing makes the public feel like there is a crisis that needs their

attention right away. The Washington Post did something similar by framing the overdose

incidents within larger prevention and inviting readers to consider progress and shortcomings in

policy responses (Kiefer, 2025). Linking this to our Week 5 learning resources, Joel Best’s

concept of the “attention cycle” of social problems is especially relevant. Best argues that social

issues often get more attention when shocking things happen, but they may get less attention

when people start to care about something else.

Proposed Solution to this Problem.

One immediate solution highlighted by City officials is the deployment of harm reduction

strategies. This includes the distribution of naloxone (Narcan) to reverse overdoses, establishing

safe places for treatment, and expanding rapid response capacity during mass incidents. For

instance, after the Penn North overdose events in July 2025, Baltimore's emergency services

stressed the need for better community-level preparedness and quicker delivery of overdose-

reversal drugs (WBAL, 2025; CBS News, 2025). Claims-makers think these interventions can

save lives, but they also know that they only treat symptoms and not the underlying problems.
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Self-reflection

In reviewing the different perspectives on Baltimore's overdose crisis, the point of view I

found most persuasive was that of public health officials and community advocates who

emphasize prevention and treatment expansion. This point of view is most compelling because,

while emergency responses and legal victories are undeniably important, they mostly address the

crisis in the short term, necessitating the need for prevention and treatment expansion. What

struck me most was the idea that failing to tackle the root causes, like poverty, trauma, unstable

housing, and limited access to healthcare, the cycle of overdoses will probably continue.
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References

CBSNEWS-Baltimore. (2025, July 19). 5 people hospitalized in a mass overdose in Baltimore’s

Penn North neighborhood. [Link]. [Link]

people-hospitalized-in-mass-overdose-in-baltimores-penn-north-neighborhood/?

utm_source=[Link]

Kiefer, P. (2025, July 13). Mass overdose in Baltimore tests progress of prevention efforts. The

Washington Post. [Link]

mass-overdose/?utm_source=[Link]

Pierson, B. (2024, November 13). Baltimore wins $266 million in opioid case against

distributors. Reuters. [Link]

case-against-distributors-2024-11-13/

WBAL. (2025, July 11). Mass overdose incident in Baltimore’s Penn-North: 25 hospitalized,

emergency response ongoing | WBAL Baltimore News. WBAL News Radio.

[Link]

5-in-critical-condition?utm_source=[Link]

WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore. (2025, July 10). Officials: 25 hospitalized with overdose symptoms.

YouTube. [Link]

Zhu, A. (n.d.). Overdose deaths dropped sharply last year in Maryland, Baltimore. Retrieved

August 22, 2025, from [Link]

logos/Overdose-deaths-dropped-sharply-last-year-in-Maryland%2C-

Baltimore_Banner.pdf?utm_source=[Link]

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