Governor Proclaims Overdose Awareness Day 2022

WHEREAS, more than 932,000 Americans died from drug overdoses from 1999 to 2020; and

WHEREAS, from 1999 to 2020, more than 29,000 North Carolinians died from drug overdose deaths; according to updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, the combined medical, social, and personal cost of drug overdose deaths in North Carolina totaled over $37 billion in 2020 alone; and

WHEREAS, overdoses rose exponentially during the COVID-19 crisis; overdose deaths were 40 percent higher and visits to the emergency department due to drug overdose were 23 percent higher in 2020 than the previous year, and provisional 2021 data indicate a continued increase with rates increasing fastest among historically marginalized populations; 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, since 2020 the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has distributed over 500,000 units of naloxone, a life-saving medication for individuals experiencing an opioid overdose, and over 18,000 uninsured individuals have accessed medication assisted treatment through federal discretionary grant funding; and

WHEREAS, more than 21,000 individuals receive medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder on a daily basis from one of 83 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, 2022, as “OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.