Deaths of Despair: The Overdose Crisis in the City of Brotherly Love and What We Owe to Our Communities

According to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Philadelphia recorded 1,069 overdose deaths in 2024. While this was an 18% decrease from 2023, the number of overdose deaths in Philadelphia remain among the highest of any large U.S. city. Legal and public health experts will first discuss the overdose crisis, the socioeconomic factors driving it, the Commonwealth’s legal framework, and the City of Philadelphia’s response. This conversation will challenge conceptions of people suffering from substance use disorders while inviting us to consider our professional and moral responsibilities to the city we live, commute, and work in. After the discussion, Prevention Point will host a Narcan training and provide free kits for attendees.

Organized by: Health Law and Policy Project (HeLPP), Health Law Association at Penn (HLAP), American Constitution Society (ACS), & Penn Law National Lawyers Guild

Register here: https://penncareylaw.cventevents.com/event/3dac49b1-ca1a-4a1f-a203-2bdfa739ae8a/summary