LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Overdose Prevention Coalition calls on community members around the state to recognize this Sunday’s International Overdose Awareness Day by having conversations with friends and family about substance use and spreading the message that overdose is a preventable problem affecting communities everywhere.
The MOPC is addressing the crisis by educating policymakers, engaging the local community and advocating for effective policy changes that support lifesaving harm reduction measures, such as naloxone, and expanding the reach of evidence-based services provided by syringe service programs.
“Recent trends show a decline in drug overdose deaths. However, this decrease is not due to lower rates of drug use or a less toxic drug supply. Both remain significant challenges in our communities. The reduction in fatalities can be attributed to increased, easy and safe access to lifesaving interventions such as naloxone and syringe service programs,” said Andrew Coleman, a research area specialist and harm reduction clinical liaison with the University of Michigan’s Coalition for Harm Reduction and Prevention project.
“Evidence consistently demonstrates the effectiveness of these harm reduction measures in reducing the most severe consequences of substance use. It is critical that these interventions remain at the forefront of efforts to address the opioid overdose epidemic, which has impacted our communities for decades,” he said.
Held on August 31 every year, International Overdose Awareness Day recognizes the risks of overdose, honors individuals whose lives have been lost, reduces the stigma of those who use drugs and acknowledges the collective grief felt by friends, families and communities impacted by the drug overdose crisis. Learn more about the MOPC at mioverdoseprevention.com.
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Contact:
Dawn Doerr, Public Sector Consultants
517-614-5443