Preamble: We believe in the people of Baltimore. We believe the people of Baltimore will now activate in themselves the power to redeem the core identity of the city as the best place in America to live, work and raise a family. We believe in the future of Baltimore. We, the undersigned, do hereby acknowledge the following:

Baltimore’s Core Problem:

Baltimore is a city under siege by illegal drug abuse and trafficking: baltimore is the heroin capital of America and fifth in use of cocaine.

The epidemic of illegal drugs has turned 60,000 city residents into addicts enslaved by chemical substances.

More than 60,000 suburban residents expand the city’s drug economy by coming into the city to buy drugs.
Unrelated to race or socio-economic condition, some individuals are predisposed to drug addiction as a result of genetic and physiological conditions.

When such people are exposed to the drug or drugs to which they happen to be vulnerable, the likelihood of addiction increases dramatically.

Every year in the decade of the 1990s, more than 600 men, women, and children were killed directly or indirectly by drugs.

The rising toll of drug use and trafficking has destroyed whole neighborhoods and convinced many in and around the city that nothing can be done to reverse the tide.

The Moment of Opportunity and Obligation

Baltimore is experiencing a resurgence (including record reductions in violent crime, rising property values, improving schools, and expanding economic opportunity) that can only be sustained and expanded by dramatically reducing drug trafficking and its effect on children, adults, and whole communities.

Success can only be achieved by every citizen, working hand-in-hand, to rid the community of crime and violence—building on the hard work of those who have come before us.

Therefore, because this is a problem that only can be overcome by a united community, we commit to:
(Listing of things to do, one being : “Provide assistance and support for all addicts to stop drug use now and to succeed in living clean, productive lives—taking personal responsibility for family, friends and neighbors.” Nothing about needle exchange programs. Will copy & send all on request.)
Baltimore Believe Leaders

Michael Cryor, Co-Chair, Baltimore Believe Leader, Chairman and CEO, Comply America.
Walter D. Pinkard, Co-Chair, Baltimore Believe, chairman, Baltimore Community Foundation, President and CEO, Colliers Pinkard. Ben Carson, M.D., Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery and Professor, Johns Hopkins Hospital. Isreal Cason, Director, I Can’t, We Can, Inc. Juan Dixon, Captain, Maryland Terrapins NCAA National champions, graduating senior, University of Maryland, College Park. Myrtle “Momma Mert” Howerton, a community voice for Baltimore City. Kweisi Mfume, President and CEO, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Rev. Frank Reid, III, Pastor, Bethel AME Church,, Baltimore.
Sister Augusta Reilly, Marion House , for women moving from dependence to independence. Donna Jones Stanley, Executive Director, Associated Black Charities. Rev. H. Walden Wilson, II, Head pastor, Israel Baptist Church, Baltimore.

Signatories - (Listing of many people’s names)

Thousands have signed. Why not you? Go to www.baltimorebelieve.com to sign this Declaration or clip and return this ad to: Baltimore Believe, P.O. Box 1992, Baltimore MD 21203.

To beat drugs, everyone needs to do one thing. Call 1-866-BELIEVE.

(The above web site has a news release dated April 5, 2002, “City of Baltimore Unveils Baltimore Believe Campaign to Combat Drug Trafficking”)

From the web site: The Baltimore Believe campaign is being carried and voiced by the Baltimore Community Four (printout did not copy end of sentence), Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President, and the Baltimore Believe Leadership…

As recently as three years ago, Baltimore was the most violent big city in America. It ranked (? printout missed copying) in murders and first in total violent crime among the nation’s largest cities. Fueling this crime is… drugs. Baltimore has had the distinction of being not only the nation’s murder capital, but the heroin capital as well.

Source: Northwesr Center for Health & Safety