International Overdose Awareness Day Posted by:Jenn--Wednesday, August 31, 2016

August 31^st is International Overdose Awareness Day.  According to the official website, International Overdose Awareness Day is held annually to:

• raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death.
• acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends remembering those who have met with death or permanent injury as a result of drug overdose.
• spread the message that the tragedy of overdose death is preventable.

The website also provides information on overdose symptoms, an overdose-awareness app, and a place to post tributes to those who have died.

Dr. William R. Morrone, a board certified pain physician, tells us that “Nearly 80 people will die today from a preventable, opioid-related overdose.  That’s more than 28,000 Americans who die annually from our opioid abuse epidemic.”  In his article titled Overcoming Overdose: Raising Awareness through Action, Dr. Morrone shares his goals of slowing the prescribing and proliferation of non-medical opioid drugs, as well as spreading awareness and access to naloxone, the medication that can save the life of someone overdosing on opioids.