According to the CDC, roughly 105,000 deaths occurred in 2023, with approximately three-quarters of these deaths related to opioids. Join us as an IOAD partner by using your voice and platforms to spread the message of ending overdose. This partner toolkit provides free resources for you to use, including key IOAD messages, social media content, and more.

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

The National Institute of Health reports that half of the lifetime cases of mental illness start by the age of 14. Substance Use Prevention Month, observed every October, is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of preventing substance use among individuals, particularly youth. In a recent presidential proclamation, President Biden reiterated the importance of this practice, with the aim to support young people in leading healthy and successful lives.

Allied Health Professions Week November 2 – 8

In her work, Zocco gathers helpful information regarding overdose, which she shares with various online and face-to-face groups. “These include support groups for grieving parents of a child lost to overdose, groups that raise overdose awareness, local agencies and more,” she says. On International Overdose Awareness Day, people show their support for those at risk of overdose awareness and health observances observances drug overdose by learning about risks, sharing information, and implementing prevention methods. Some communities dedicate the entire month of August to overdose awareness, incorporating multiple events, educational campaigns, and resource fairs throughout the month.

Find Your Bezzy Community

Kim Lacey is based in San Luis Obispo, the traditional land of the Salinan people, in what is colonially known as Atascadero, CA, where she organized the SLO Overdose Awareness Day event last year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 932,000 people have died since 1999 from an overdose, unfortunately. You could get in touch with first responders in your area, perhaps ask them to do a demonstration of how to use naloxone, or do a question-answer session about overdose signs. If you aren’t sure, it is best to treat the situation like an overdose—you could save a life.

Risk Factors for Substance Use Overdoses

• As we recognize Overdose Awareness Week, visit @CDCgov’s site to learn, a life-saving medication #naloxone that can reverse an overdose in minutes and save a life.
• Our programs offer a range of services, including prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery support.
• If you aren’t sure, it is best to treat the situation like an overdose—you could save a life.
• “Ending stigma makes it easier for people with substance use issues, as well as affected families and friends, to seek help and to stop feeling alone,” she says.

To manage the risk of overdose, many individuals and organizations have been working to raise awareness in their communities about how to better support individuals navigating substance use health. While opioid overdoses are some of the most common (and led to the opioid crisis), they are not the only substances responsible for overdose deaths. Overdose Awareness Week is a time to remember those tragically lost to overdose and the pain of the families who are left behind.

Overdose Awareness Day, Week, and Month serve as powerful reminders of the ongoing addiction crisis and the need for comprehensive action. While awareness is crucial, it must be coupled with concrete steps toward prevention, treatment, and recovery support. August, the eighth month of the year, is filled with important observances and celebrations that make it both meaningful and vibrant.

Organizations such as Lifesigns and the Self-Injury Foundation promote and support Self-injury Awareness Month. Random Acts of Kindness Week (RAK Week) aims to bring people together through acts of kindness. It is celebrated with flag hoisting, parades, and patriotic events across the country. Discover key National and International Days in August 2025, including Independence Day, World Humanitarian Day & Sports Day.

We encourage you to use these resources to amplify overdose awareness and prevention efforts in your community. International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is observed each year on August 31. It is the world’s largest annual campaign to end drug overdose and remember those lost to overdose. Overdose affects people from all walks of life, and our efforts must reflect the many voices and communities impacted.

Important Days in August 2025

• Many states have Good Samaritan laws that offer legal protection for people who call for help during an overdose emergency, even if illegal drug use is involved, so don’t hesitate to call out of fear.
• By sharing personal stories of the impact of overdose without stigma, individuals and organizations gather to address this pressing issue.
• Contact us today to speak with a member of our team about recovery options that are tailored to your needs.
• In this way, Dr. Drosnes describes how the affected family member may then suffer sleeplessness, changes in appetite, disrupted self-care routines, poor decision-making skills, mood fluctuations, etc.
• In her work, Zocco gathers helpful information regarding overdose, which she shares with various online and face-to-face groups.

The only good news here is that decreases in breast cancer deaths may be attributable to new research, earlier screenings, increased awareness, and new and improved treatment options. A free monthly virtual educational webinar to support our mental health providers. Our comprehensive approach to addiction treatment combines medical expertise with compassionate care. This combination offers our clients individualized treatment plans that address their distinct recovery needs without judgment.

Overdose Awareness Week Partner Toolkit

The time is right to encourage people to stay updated with their immunizations. Used by 30,000+ healthcare professionals to solve real practice challenges. In terms of prescription medication, abuse can begin by not following prescription instructions and taking more than your doctor recommends. The path to recovery may be challenging, but it’s not one that anyone must walk alone.

Since 2012, this international event has been coordinated by the Penington Institute. People who overdose — most of the time — are facing a substance use disorder. First, it’s important to understand that not all drugs cause overdose.