It’s a day to:
Remember loved ones who have died from drug overdose and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind.
Take action to encourage support and recovery for everyone impacted by substance use and overdose.
End overdose by spreading awareness of overdose prevention strategies.
Key Messages
International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose.
The goals of International Overdose Awareness Day are:
To provide an opportunity for people to publicly mourn loved ones.
To send a strong message to people who use drugs and people in recovery that they are valued.
To inform people around the world about the risk of drug overdose.
To provide basic information on the range of support services that are available.
To prevent and reduce drug-related harms by supporting evidence-based practice.
For General Audiences and Media
This August, CDC’s Division of Overdose Prevention in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control will mark IOAD with the release of a new article, showing the latest trends on drug overdose deaths with evidence of counterfeit pill use in the United States.
Help us share this new publication via your channels when it is released on Be sure to come back to this page for more information then.
How to recognize an overdose
Recognizing an overdose can be difficult. If you aren’t sure, it is best to treat the situation like an overdose—you could save a life. Call 911 immediately. Administer naloxone, if it’s available. Do not leave the person alone.
Signs of an overdose
Lifesaving naloxone
Naloxone can reverse an overdose from opioids, including heroin, illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, and prescription opioid medications. Often given as a nasal spray, naloxone is safe and easy to use.
You should carry naloxone if:
You or someone you know is at increased risk for opioid overdose, especially those with opioid use disorder (OUD).
Remember: You can’t use naloxone on yourself. Let others know you have it in case you experience an opioid overdose.
Read More
