Overdose Awareness

Every year there is an increase in the number of Australians who lose their lives to accidental drug overdose, with countless Australians experiencing the grief caused by the loss of loved ones. The most recent available overdose data reveals that in 2019 there were 1,644 unintentional overdose deaths in Australia (See the Penington Institute’s Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2021).

International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), held annually on 31st August, is a day to raise awareness of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related death and remember those who have lost their lives to overdose. IOAD community events provide an opportunity for services to promote overdose prevention and response, including how to administer naloxone in the event of opioid overdose (see p12 for more on naloxone).

IOAD originated in Australia, in 2001, with NSP workers at the St Kilda Salvation Army needle and syringe program (NSP) distributing ribbons and providing information to raise awareness of the risk of overdose. The day is now a global event recognised in over 40 countries. The colours of IOAD are silver and purple: wearing a silver ribbon pin raises awareness of overdose and wearing anything purple is a way to show that anyone can be affected by overdose.

This year at Uniting Communities U City, where the Franklin St Clean Needle Program (CNP) is located, we planned a number of features to increase awareness and for clients to express memories for those lost to them from overdose. Overdose Awareness extended beyond the U City CNP into the building’s first-floor administration area.

We created a display consisting of resources, posters, badges, CPR mask keyrings, take-home naloxone vouchers and other information. All of Uniting Communities’ visitors and staff were able to learn about IOAD. Information on opioid, stimulant and psychoactive drugs was included in the display. Clients could help themselves to these as well as the silver—silver represents everyone being important— OD pins, badges made with a badge machine loaned from Bfriend, and other items, and they could ask Hepatitis SA peer educators for more information.

We also placed a Memory Tree, to which handwritten notes could be attached, in the general waiting area. Clients expressed appreciation and gratitude for the chance to acknowledge the loss of loved ones, mates and relatives through writing on decorative note paper that was then pinned onto the Memory Tree. Clients were so happy to be able to express their loss—to have this loss recognised by others—and the tree filled with coloured notes.