International Overdose Awareness Day

International Overdose Awareness Day is held each year on August 31st to remember those who have been lost to fatal drug overdose, celebrate those who have been rescued from or assisted in rescuing someone from an overdose, and most especially help reduce the stigma of overdose and drug use.

With over half a million people dying due to drug use annually, it has never been important. According to Penington Institute, the organization responsible for this international initiative, “International Overdose Awareness Day aims to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death. It is also an opportunity to stimulate discussion about evidence-based overdose prevention and drug policy. International Overdose Awareness Day acknowledges the grief felt by families and friends, remembering those who have died or suffered permanent injury due to drug overdose. International Overdose Awareness Day spreads the message about the tragedy of drug overdose death and that drug overdose is preventable.”

Overdose Facts

• Every day, more than 128 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids.
• Roughly 21-29% of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them.
• Between 8-12% of patients develop an opioid use disorder.
• From 1999 to 2018, almost 232,000 people died in the United States from overdoses related to prescription opioids. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids were four times higher in 2018 than in 1999.
• Opioid overdoses increased 30% from July 2016 to September 2017 in 52 areas in 45 states.
• Drug overdoses killed more than 70,630 people in the United States in 2019. A majority of the deaths – 49,860 (70.6%) – were caused by opioids.
• Drug overdoses in 2017 killed more people than guns, car crashes, or HIV/AIDS ever killed in a single year in the United States.
• Opioid-involved overdose deaths have been rapidly increasing in Georgia since 2010 (from 246 to 1,043 – a 245% increase), driven initially by increased use and misuse of prescription opioids (e.g., Oxycodone and Hydrocodone), but in recent years there have been substantial increases in the number of heroin- and fentanyl-involved overdose deaths.
• In Georgia in 2019, overdoses involving any opioid accounted for 4,858 emergency department visits, 2,174 hospitalizations, and 860 deaths.
• Georgia is among the top 11 states with the most opioid overdose deaths, and 55 Georgia counties have an overdose rate higher than the national average.

Signs of a Drug Overdose

• Unresponsiveness
• Loss of consciousness
• Breathing is slow and shallow or has stopped
• Pinpoint pupils
• Gasping, gurgling or choking sounds
• Slowed heartbeat/pulse
• Skin tone turns pale, blue or gray
• Body is limp
• Vomiting
• Inability to talk
•  

In an emergency situation where you think someone has overdosed, follow these steps:

• Check for signs of an overdose (see above)
• Call 911
• Give rescue breaths
• Administer Naloxone
• Stay until help arrives

According to the CDC, Naloxone is defined as “a prescription drug that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose and can be life-saving if administered in time. The drug is sold under the brand name Narcan or Evzio.” In April 2017, Governor Nathan Deal signed Senate Bill 121 into law, expanding Georgians’ access to Naloxone. In partnership with the Georgia Board of Pharmacy and the Department of Public Health, a standing order has been issued, which ensures access to the Naloxone prescription for anyone who may need it. This means if you or someone you know may be in a position to assist a person at risk of an opioid overdose, this life-saving medication is available at pharmacies. Though there may be a cost for the medication, it is at least partially covered by many health insurance policies.

For more details about the above process and guides for administering Naloxone, check out these resources from the Harm Reduction Coalition, SAMHSA and Mass.gov.
Opioid overdoses are reversible. In a life-threatening situation, don’t panic or run; always call 911. By being aware of important laws and resources, as well as common overdose signs and how to respond, you can save a life if necessary.

How to Participate in International Overdose Awareness Day

Penington Institute offers several resources to guide you through observing International Overdose Awareness Day:
Overdose Facts and Statistics
Support Kit for Planning Your Event
Campaign Resources (Social media graphics, posters, fact sheets, etc.)
Register Your Event

You can get additional resources and see what people across the globe are doing to raise awareness and reduce stigma by searching #EndOverdose, #OverdoseAware, and #IOAD on social media.

Sources:
https://guideinc.org/2020/11/17/raising-awareness-opioid-overdose-facts/
https://guideinc.org/2021/08/02/international-overdose-awareness-day-is-august-31/
https://www.overdoseday.com/resources/facts-stats/
http://www.noperi.org/files/Resources/naloxonePatientHandout.pdf