WHEREAS, more than 840,000 Americans died from drug overdoses from 1999 to 2019; and
WHEREAS, from 1999 to 2019, more than 25,000 North Carolinians died from drug overdose deaths; according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, the cost of drug overdose deaths in North Carolina totaled $3.1 billion in 2019 alone; and
WHEREAS, overdoses rose exponentially during the COVID-19 crisis; visits to the emergency department due to drug overdose in May 2020 were 26 percent higher than the same time the previous year; and
WHEREAS, behavioral health and substance use disorders have been significantly impacted by the public health response to slow the spread of COVID-19 as people are experiencing the effects of isolation, restricted access to some care services, and increased anxiety on their overall health; and
WHEREAS, the Hope4NC Helpline (1-855-587-3463) is available 24/7 for anyone in North Carolina who might need to talk, find behavioral health or substance use treatment services, or seek crisis intervention; and
WHEREAS, the North Carolina Opioid and Substance Use Action Plan, released in June 2017 and most recently updated in June 2021 to add emphasis to equity and multiple substance use, includes agencies and community partners across the state who continue to work to address the overdose crisis by promoting strategies to reduce all drug overdose deaths by 20 percent by 2024; and
WHEREAS, over the last several years, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has distributed nearly 300,000 kits of naloxone, a life-saving medication for individuals experiencing an opioid overdose, and over 12,000 uninsured individuals have accessed medication assisted treatment through federal discretionary grant funding; and
WHEREAS, more than 20,000 individuals receive medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder on a daily basis from one of 78 opioid treatment programs in North Carolina; learn more about treatment programs, syringe services programs and other evidence-based tools to prevent overdose deaths in North Carolina at www.morepowerfulnc.org; and
WHEREAS, Overdose Awareness Day spreads the message that the tragedy of overdose death is preventable, raises awareness to reduce the stigma of addiction, and commemorates loved ones who have been lost to this crisis;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim August 31, 2021, as “OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.