New Signs In Baltimore County Warn Of Opioid Crisis

TOWSON, MD — Giant road signs unveiled around Baltimore County on Wednesday will bring new attention to the opioid crisis, say county officials. The signs are located at the Public Safety Building in Towson and the police precinct buildings in Dundalk, Pikesville, White Marsh and Woodlawn.

Each sign displays the total number of overdoses and fatal overdoses in Baltimore County so far this year As of Wednesday afternoon, there had been 780 drug overdoses in Baltimore County, 185 of which were fatal, WBAL-TV Channel 11 reported.

“There’s not a community in our county that hasn’t been touched by the disease of opioid addiction and we have to do everything within our power to raise awareness, increase access to services and save lives," Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said Wednesday in a statement.

"These signs will be a stark reminder that this crisis persists and that we have a responsibility to help our sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, neighbors and friends who are struggling,” he said.

First responders in Baltimore County have administered nearly 1,400 doses of Narcan and taken more than 1,000 overdose patients to hospitals, WBAL-TV reported.

The county created the signs with support from the Daniel Carl Torsch Foundation. The group's executive director, Toni Torsch, created the foundation following the death of her son, Daniel, from a heroin overdose.

The foundation "works to raise awareness of opioid addiction and overdose, helps individuals find treatment resources and provides training for individuals to use the overdose-reversal drug naloxone," according to a county statement.

The Daniel Carl Torsch Foundation urges anyone who's facing an opioid addiction, or knows someone who is, to reach out and prevent another untimely death by calling the REACH Helpline at 410-88-REACH (410-887-3224).