“Overdose is the leading cause of death for adults age 18-44,” said Lisa Martin, medication assisted treatment program director at Missouri Highlands.
Butler County Health Department, along with Missouri Highlands and Three Rivers College, have partnered to host the Second Annual International Overdose Awareness Day event. It will be held from 1-6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, at TRC in the Plaster Building, room 108.
According to Martin, the event’s purpose is to help raise awareness, as well as educate the community.
“There will be Narcan training and harm reduction training with Neann Wedgeworth. She is a harm reduction coordinator with the division of public health in Jefferson City,” Martin explained. “In the past year, since the pandemic, there have been approximately 19,000 deaths, we’ve seen an increase of 15% in Missouri.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, several signs can indicate an overdose. Medical treatment should be sought for anyone unconscious, having seizures, chest pain or difficulty breathing. Other indicators of someone experiencing an overdose are confusion, paranoia, severe headache and agitation.
Alcohol is also one of many depressants that can lead to an overdose, like other drugs, including opioids and stimulants.
The CDC calculates since 1999, more than 932,000 people have died from drug overdose and of that number, 91,799 were in 2020. A large percentage of those 2020 deaths were related to opioids, according to the CDC, with more than 68,600 dying from an opioid overdose.
Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a drug commonly used to revive people who have had an overdose from opioids. The life-saving drug is now available to anyone in need thanks to Missouri Highlands and the Butler County Health Department. In late May r, a Narcan vending machine was made available in the lobby of the health department in Poplar Bluff.
“We’re going to have seats roped off at the event to represent the memory of those lost to overdose. We hope for that to have an impact on those who come,” said Martin. “This event is open to anyone and everyone. We want to encourage community involvement. We want people to see the need.”
For more information on upcoming events like the International Overdose Day event, training, education or other resources visit www.mohigh.org.