August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day. International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign dedicated to remembering those who have lost their lives to an overdose while acknowledging the grief the family and friends are left with. According to the CDC, more than 93,000 individuals reported drug overdoses in 2020, with more than three-quarters being attributed to opioids. On the 31st of August of each year, the public educates those on drugs to prevent overdose while advocating for better drug policies. There are multiple resources available to those who would like to be involved in the campaign such as:

1. Holding a candlelight vigil.
2. Offering educational programs, such as one related to preventing opioid use, in partnership with a local organization.
3. Providing a safe space for telling the stories of the overdose victims.
4. Displaying empty hats or shoes to represent the number of lives lost in the community.
5. Purchasing or creating wristbands, shirts, pins, or other memorabilia to wear on August 31st.
6. Offering a large canvas and washable paint so survivors can add a handprint in memory of their loved ones.
7. Adding a name of a loved one who has died of an opioid overdose to the “Celebrating Lost Loved Ones” map.
8. Researching state and federal legislation that addresses opioid overdose prevention and writing a letter to your state’s representative.

Follow International Overdose Awareness Day on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtags #EndOverdose and #OverdoseAwareness.