We’re inviting you to join our live stream on International Overdose Awareness Day, hearing from those who understand the issue through professional engagement, and those who understand it through direct personal experiences.

Decades of expensive prohibition and policing haven’t reduced the harms associated with drug use. Policies focused on reducing harms and understanding people’s complex needs have produced far more positive results. A compassionate approach means understanding complex problems and appropriately resourcing responses that actually work.

International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is a global event held on 31 August each year and aims to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death. Originating in Melbourne 2001, the day acknowledges the grief felt by families and friends by remembering those we have lost, or those who have sustained a permanent injury as the result of drug overdose. Our minds immediately go to illegal drugs when discussing overdose, however alcohol and prescription medication are two of our biggest killers.

International Overdose Awareness Day 2021 YDHF Event Flier