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Aruna Miller hosts substance use awareness rally in Maryland
Fatal overdoses in Maryland and across the country reached historic highs following the COVID-19 pandemic before decreasing in 2024.
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Nandika Chand - Thu, 03, Apr 2025
- 02:12 EDT
- 185
Marylanders gathered at Lawyer’s Mall in Annapolis for the state’s first Substance Use Awareness Advocacy Day rally. / Lieutenant Governor Aruna K. Miller Office
Lieutenant Governor Aruna K. Miller hosted Maryland’s first Substance Use Awareness Advocacy Day rally, informing attendees that the fight against overdose isn’t easy.
Miller, Maryland’s 10th Lieutenant Governor, acknowledged that it takes time, persistence, and a belief that change is possible. She said lives are being saved and communities are healing. In a statement, the lawmaker stated, “Together with our partners in the General Assembly, we’re committed to putting words into action.”
The event was organized with Special Secretary of Overdose Response Emily Keller at Lawyer’s Mall in Annapolis on Apr.2.
According to data shared by Miller’s office, fatal overdoses in Maryland and across the country reached historic highs following the COVID-19 Pandemic before decreasing in 2024. In 2021, there were 2,800 fatal overdoses in Maryland – highest annual total in Maryland’s history.
However, the number of fatal overdoses in Maryland has decreased substantially in recent years. According to Maryland’s Overdose Data Dashboard, there were 1,648 fatal overdoses in Maryland last year, a decrease of 34.4 percent from 2023.
Special Secretary Keller urged the rally attendees to keep fighting. She lauded Marylanders demanding continued action to reduce overdose deaths in the state. “The toll that crisis continues to have is immeasurable, and we have to do everything we can to save lives.”
Also Read: Maryland Women's Hall of Fame inducts Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller
The Comptroller of Maryland Brook E. Lierman, who was also present at the rally, said substance use disorder was one of the barriers to employment. She pointed out that the state’s workforce decline mirrors the rise in overdose deaths during the pandemic. “Investing in support for Marylanders struggling with substance use disorder will help restore their sense of well-being, empower them to return to the workforce, and strengthen our state’s economy,” Lierman said.
According to Miller, Maryland has been proactive in tackling substance abuse and recently released an updated strategic plan to reduce overdoses in the state. The state also announced $12.4 million in competitive grant awards from the Opioid Restitution Fund, which utilizes proceeds from prescription opioid-related legal settlements.
“Maryland expects to receive a combined total of over $650 million in settlement funds over the next 15–18 years,” Miller’s office said in a statement. “Over $118 million in settlement funds have already been distributed at the local level.”
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