Communities hold events to mark International Overdose Awareness Day

Communities in the United States and Canada are holding events to mark International Overdose Awareness Day and address local drug crises.

In Damariscotta, Maine, local partners including MaineGeneral Hospital and the Lincoln County Recovery Community Center are organizing an event at the Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust. The program includes overdose response training, a resource fair, naloxone education, and a candlelight vigil to honor those lost to substance use disorders and reduce social stigma.

In Canada, approximately 150 people from the Onion Lake Cree Nation participated in the community’s first Overdose Awareness Walk. The event was organized by Onion Lake Healing and Wellness in response to an ongoing opioid and methamphetamine crisis. Following a state of emergency declared in 2019 and recent overdose alerts, the community has faced multiple deaths. The gathering included a community safety forum featuring support from Indigenous Services Canada.