Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller and the Maryland Department of Health announced on April 2, 2026, in Baltimore an update to the Maryland Overdose Data Dashboard that now incorporates data from the Rapid Analysis of Drugs program.
The addition provides treatment providers, public health leaders and communities with near-real-time information on the composition of substances in Maryland’s illicit drug supply. The RAD program analyzes residues from equipment routinely returned to Opioid-Associated Disease Prevention and Outreach Programs across the state.
“Every life lost to overdose is a tragedy, and every life saved is a reminder of why this work matters,” Miller said in the announcement. “By expanding access to real-time data through tools like the RAD program, we are giving communities, treatment providers, and public health leaders the information they need to act quickly, address emerging drug threats head-on, and save lives. Maryland is committed to meeting this crisis with urgency, innovation, and compassion.”
The RAD program launched in 2021 to deliver near-real-time data on emerging drug trends. It has tested more than 6,000 samples from 15 jurisdictions and shares results directly with participants while informing statewide overdose prevention strategies. The program helped identify substances including xylazine and medetomidine in the drug supply. In the fourth quarter of 2025, 429 samples came from 21 programs in 14 jurisdictions.
“Maryland continues to see a decline in fatal overdoses, reaching a 10-year low, and this dashboard addition is another tool to help us keep moving in the right direction,” said Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani. “This program, coupled with easy access to this data, enables us to arm stakeholders with the information they need to make informed decisions about the substances in their ZIP codes and how to address trends.”
Provisional data released in January 2026 showed 1,315 overdose deaths in 2025, a 26 percent decrease from the prior year and the lowest total in a decade. Fentanyl-related deaths fell 31 percent. The dashboard, launched in July 2024, offers visualizations of overdose trends with community input.
The RAD program operates through the Maryland Department of Health Office of Overdose Prevention and Education in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. It uses direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry for testing. Aggregate data supports local and statewide harm reduction efforts.
Southern Maryland jurisdictions participate through local Opioid-Associated Disease Prevention and Outreach Programs. The updated dashboard allows providers in St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties to track substances circulating in their communities and adjust prevention and treatment responses accordingly.
Access to the dashboard and RAD information remains available online. The update builds on Maryland’s multi-year decline in overdose deaths by enhancing data-driven decision making for treatment providers and outreach teams.
