Are you aware that according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s most recent World Annual Drug Report, 585,000 people around the world died as a result of drug use in 2017?
Local communities in Scotland County and around the world are coming together on Aug. 31, to remember those who have died or suffered permanent injury due to drug overdose. By doing this, Scotland County Health Department and other local agencies are joining a global movement for understanding, compassion, and change.
Observed on the 31st of August every year, International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), convened by the Penington Institute, seeks to create better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, and create change that reduces the harms associated with drug use.
Because of the pandemic, the Opioid Prevention and Education Network (O.P.E.N.) group will not host a live, social event this year, rather promote and educate our communities about Overdose Awareness in other ways, such as requesting a Proclamation from our Mayor, utilizing social media for education and promotion, promoting unused medication take-back locations, providing posters, wearing purple August 31st, and asking everyone to help promote awareness and end the stigma by forwarding our social media posts using the hashtags #EndOverdose and #OverdoseAware.
Did you know in 2019, there were 874 IOAD events of all kinds, held in 39 countries including Scotland County? People and communities came together to raise awareness of one of the world’s most urgent public health crises – one that, unfortunately, is only getting worse. Last year many community members, agencies, law enforcement, the school system, hospital, health department, social services and others came together on the lawn behind the AB Gibson center to promote awareness and remember those who’ve lost their lives due to overdose.
Again, “We are putting on this awareness campaign to honor our loved ones who have died or been injured because of an overdose,” said Kathie Cox, Health Educator and PIO with Scotland County Health Department. “By coming together to remember them, we stand together to say that more needs to be done to end overdose in our community.”
“Overdose can affect anybody and one of the messages of this day is that the people who overdose are our sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters – they are loved and they are missed,” stated Roylin Hammond, Scotland County EMS Director. “No family should ever have to go through the pain of losing a loved one because of overdose.”
The Opioid Prevention and Education Network (O.P.E.N.) encourages members of the community with lived experience to participate and to stand in solidarity with those who have been personally affected by overdose.”
For information about O.P.E.N., resources or International Overdose Awareness Day, visit www.overdoseday.com, or contact Scotland County Health Department at 910-277-2440.
Kathie Cox is the public health educator and public information officer for the Scotland County Health Department.
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