Ohio recognized International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31, and recognition hit home locally, at Ariel-Foundation Park in Mount Vernon in an event that focused on creating a better understanding of overdose, reducing the stigma of drug-related deaths, and creating change to reduce the harms associated with drug use.

The Knox Substance Abuse Action Team (KSAAT) sponsored the event and invited the Knox County community to attend and to remember those who have died or suffered permanent injury due to drug overdose and support families who have lost their sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. Other agencies involved included RecoveryOhio, the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, who partnered to create an Ohio Overdose Awareness Day Toolkit with the theme "Everyone Knows Someone. Overdoses Impact Us All."

This toolkit features social media graphics and posts, videos, posters and digital ads that local communities and organizations can use to raise awareness on Ohio Overdose Awareness Day. These assets include images from real Ohioans who have shared their stories of recovery and have made it a priority to share that recovery is possible.

In 2020, 5,017 Ohioans died from unintentional drug overdoses. Overdose is preventable, so learn the facts to help save lives.

Visit RecoveryOhio.Gov for more information and a list of how Ohio plans to observe Ohio Overdose Awareness Day.