Leah Androski
ECB Publishing, Inc
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported, in 2024, approximately 80,391 drug overdose-related deaths in the U.S., which is a decrease of 26.9 percent from the previous year. International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is held annually on August 31, with the entire month of August being dedicated to overdose awareness month.
Overdoses result from the body containing toxic amounts of a substance or substances in the bloodstream. Some overdoses are more urgent than others, and overdoses normally happen because of the ingestion of one, or more than one, substance. Most people think of illicit drugs when they think of overdoses, and such drug use certainly accounts for a large percentage of overdose health problems and deaths. Even so, it is possible to overdose on different substances, both legal and illegal. Prescriptions that are misused are a common culprit, and so are commonly-used substances such as caffeine and even herbal supplements.
Fentanyl has been a concern for many years now. Signs of an overdose are multitudinous. Some of the more common signs to look for include vomiting/nausea, headache, chest pain, and dilated pupils. In the case of chronic illegal drug use, seizures, problems breathing, bizarre behavior, and unconsciousness are typical and worrisome.
The first IOAD was held in Australia in 2001. Then, in 2012, the Pennington Institute transformed IOAD into an international day of recognition. From 2014 until now, IOAD focusses on overdose prevention and remembrance as their main messages. The 2025 theme for IOAD is “One big family: Drive by hope.” You can show your support by sporting the color purple, which signifies your interest in curbing the overdose epidemic.
For more information on IOAD, please visit overdoseday.com