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Local communities in West Tennessee and around the world are coming together August 31, 2021, to remember those who have died or suffered permanent injury due to drug overdose.
The Jackson-Madison Prevention Coalition and Lifeline Peer Project in conjunction with The City of Jackson Recreation and Parks Department will be hosting a Candlelight Vigil on August 31, 2021. The vigil will begin at 7 p.m. at Unity Park located at 336 South Highland Ave. (across from the Carl Perkins Civic Center) in Jackson, TN. A remembrance banner will be provided for people to write the names of their loved ones affected by overdose.
International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is observed on August 31 every year. It seeks to create better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, and create change that reduces the harms associated with drug use.
By holding an event this year, the people of West Tennessee are joining themselves to a global movement for understanding, compassion, and change.
In 2019, there were a record 874 IOAD events of all kinds, held in 39 countries. Last year, despite the disruption caused by COVID-19, the world united again to hold 602 events – a phenomenal result.
“Overdose can affect anybody and one of the messages of this day is that the people who overdose are our sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters – they are loved and they are missed,” said Sarah Mays, Hybrid Lifeline Peer Project Coordinator.
People and communities come together annually to raise awareness of one of the world’s most urgent public health crises – one that, unfortunately, is only getting worse.
According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s most recent World Annual Drug Report, 585,000 people around the world died as a result of drug use in 2017.
Statistics for the 2020 calendar year show that the situation has become even more critical since the current pandemic began, decreasing tolerance of people who use drugs and disrupting both services and the drug supply chain.
A full list of the IOAD 2021 events currently planned around the world will be displayed at https://www.overdoseday.com/events-2021/
International Overdose Awareness Day is convened by Penington Institute, an Australian not-for-profit.
