“Together We Can” – Engage in Powerful Collective Action for Overdose Awareness

Worldwide Overview

The number of people who use drugs has risen to 292 million in 2022, a 20% increase over 10 years. Cannabis remains the most widely used drug worldwide (228 million users), followed by opioids (60 million users), amphetamines (30 million users), cocaine (23 million users), and ecstasy (20 million users) (UNODC, 2024).

International Overdose Awareness is a campaign meant to raise awareness and remember those lost to overdose. The theme for 2024 is “Together we can” demonstrates the power of the collective and fostering dialogue, education, and community engagement, the campaign strives to save lives.

The World Drug Report 2024, released in June 2024 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), highlights several critical findings related to drug use and its impact:

1. Emergence of Nitazenes: The report discusses the emergence of a new group of synthetic opioids called nitazenes. These substances have contributed to an increase in overdose deaths worldwide. Nitazenes are analogues of internationally controlled substances like clonitazene and etonitazene.
2. Overdose Crisis in North America: The overdose crisis in North America, primarily linked to potent illicitly manufactured fentanyl, continues to result in an unprecedented number of overdose deaths. However, there are indications that the number of such deaths may be tapering off.
3. Global Substance Use Disorders: Approximately 64 million people worldwide suffer from substance use disorders. Shockingly, only one in 11 individuals with substance use disorders receives treatment.
4. Gender Disparities: Women face significant disparities in accessing treatment. Only one in 18 women with substance use disorders receives treatment, compared to one in seven men.

United States Overview

According to a data brief from the Center for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States 2002-2022 are one of the leading causes of injury death in adults and have risen over the past several decades. Overdoses involving synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine have also risen in the past few years. The NCHS report presents rates of drug overdose deaths from the National Vital Statistics System over a 20-year period by demographic group and by the type of drugs involved (specifically, opioids and stimulants), with a focus on changes from 2021 to 2022 (Spencer, et al, 2024).

Key Findings from the National Vital Statistics System

• The age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths increased from 8.2 deaths per 100,000 standard population in 2002 to 32.6 in 2022; however, the rate did not significantly change between 2021 and 2022.
• Overdoes rates decreased between 2021 and 2022 for people ages 15–34 and increased for those age 35 and older.
• Between 2021 and 2022, rates increased for all race and Hispanic-origin groups, except non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders and non-Hispanic white people.
• Between 2021 and 2022, the overdose death rate for synthetic opioids other than methadone increased 4.1% from 21.8 to 22.7, while rates for heroin, natural and semisynthetic opioids, and methadone declined.
• Between 2021 and 2022, rates for cocaine and psychostimulants with abuse potential increased (Spencer et al., 2024)

Remembering Parents and Children

According to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry, an estimated 649,599 adults between the ages of 18-64  died of an overdose from 2011 to 2021. This resulted in an estimated 321,566 children lost a parent to drug overdose in the United States during that period. The highest number children affected by a parental overdose were those with non-Hispanic white parents followed by those with Hispanic parents and non-Hispanic black parents.

The study was a collaborative effort led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A NIDA press release on the study highlights important take away findings. “Based on their findings, the researchers emphasize the importance of whole-person health care that treats a person with substance use disorder as a parent or family member first and foremost and provides prevention resources accordingly to support families and break generational cycles of substance use. The study also points to the need to incorporate culturally-informed approaches in prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction services and to dismantle racial and ethnic inequities in access to these services” (NIDA, 2024).

International Overdose Awareness – Collective Action

The International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) campaign is the world’s largest annual overdose awareness campaign. The goals of the campaign are to end overdose, remember those who have died without stigma, and acknowledge the grief of family and friends who are left behind. Held each year on August 31, the campaign highlights the power of collective action. By reaching out and connecting with others locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally; we are stronger and more impactful.

The theme for 2024, “Together we can,” emphasizing the impact and change that can be achieved by coming together as an international community. IOAD Campaign Resources including fact sheets, social media tools, and a 2024 campaign kit are available to help communities and organizations come together to plan and promote overdose awareness events. Subscribe to the IOAD Newsletter for news, resources and advice on how to make a difference. The aims of the campaign provide direction, motivation, and hope for all affected by overdose.

Aims of International Overdose Awareness

• To provide an opportunity for people to publicly mourn loved ones in a safe environment, some for the first time without feeling guilt or shame.
• To include the greatest number of people in International Overdose Awareness Day events and encourage non-denominational involvement.
• To provide information about the issue of fatal and non-fatal overdose.
• To send a strong message to current and former people who use drugs that they are valued.
• To stimulate discussion about overdose prevention and drug policy.
• To provide basic information on the range of support services that are available.
• To prevent and reduce drug-related harm by supporting evidence-based policy and practice.
• To inform people around the world about the risk of overdose.

By focusing on overdose prevention, IOAD underscores the broader goals of substance use prevention professionals. It reinforces the importance of early intervention, education, and support services in reducing the risk of overdose and other negative outcomes associated with substance use.

In summary, International Overdose Awareness Day is a vital event for substance use prevention professionals as it amplifies their efforts, promotes best practices, fosters community and professional engagement, supports affected families, and advocates for critical policy changes.

#TogetherWeCan #EndOverdose #IOAD2024

References

Jones, C. M., Zhang, K., Han, B., et al. (2024). Estimated number of children who lost a parent to drug overdose in the US from 2011 to 2021. JAMA Psychiatry. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.0810

NIDA. (2024, May 9). More than 321,000 U.S. children lost a parent to drug overdose from 2011 to 2021. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2024/05/more-than-321000-us-children-lost-a-parent-to-drug-overdose-from-2011-to-2021

Spencer MR, Garnett MF, Miniño AM. (2023) Drug overdose deaths in the United States, 2002–2022. NCHS Data Brief, no 491. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2024. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:135849

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2024). The World Drug Report 2024. United Nations. Website: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/world-drug-report-2024.html