It’s International Overdose Awareness Day! 8.31.21

About International Overdose Awareness Day

August 31st has been recognized as International Overdose Awareness Day, a global event to raise awareness that overdose death is preventable and to reduce the stigma associated with drug-related death. This is a special time to come together and honor our loved ones lost to overdose, and take action to address our role in preventing overdoses.

Show Your Support

We believe an important first step in preventing overdoses is to reduce stigma by bringing visibility to the overdose crisis. With our friends at MN Adult & Teen Challenge, we’ve asked some of our partners to help us today by lighting up purple — the awareness color for drug overdose and the opioid crisis. Thank you to the 35W Bridge, U.S. Bank Stadium, and Allianz Field for joining us and lighting up purple tonight to honor Overdose Awareness Day. We encourage everyone to show their support at their home or business and light up purple! Together we can make an impact and bring about solutions to this crisis, starting with awareness.

You can also show your support on social media with the hashtags #IOAD #IOAD2021 and #InternationalOverdoseAwarenessDay

Media Coverage

Our Executive Director, Alicia House, joined Taylor Hohmann of Know the Truth for an interview with WCCO this morning to speak about International Overdose Awareness Day, the importance of naloxone and overdose prevention education, statewide statistics, and overdose awareness at the Minnesota State Fair. Watch the full interview here: https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/video/5947213-tuesday-is-international-overdose-awareness-day/