Today marks International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) which strives to end overdoses and remember those who have lost their lives due to drug overdose. 

Overdoses should not have to result in death, Cigdem Watson, acting CEO of Family Drug Support  Australia based in Narrabri says. 

"It's really important to focus on harm reduction initiatives. Families don't want their people to be on substances but they also don't want their person to overdose," she said. 

"What we know is that people often come out at the other end of substance use but that's why it's important to try to keep them safe and alive and that's what harm reduction services are for."

The first IOAD occurred in 2001 when Sally Finn from the Salvation Army in St Kilda Melbourne initiated the event. 

"International Overdose Awareness Day is a crucial moment for our community to reflect on the lives lost and the families impacted by overdose," Clinical Director of Lives Lived Well James Curtain said. 

According to research released in 2022 by the University of NSW (UNSW), remote and very remote areas have an age-standardised drug-induced death rate of 4.6 deaths per 100,000 people. 

Having access to medications such as Naloxone which is used to reduce or reverse the effects of opioids is crucial to stop preventable deaths due to drug overdose from occurring. 

Ms Watson said safe places for people to use drugs such as injecting rooms are vital to reducing overdose deaths because people affected by drug addiction are getting better access to Naloxone and other opioid reversals. 

"We do regular surveys among families and over 80 percent want harm reduction programs and support initiatives such as pill testing, medically supervised injecting centres, and naloxone," said Ms Watson.

"Overdoses are reversible. It's not something that should result in death." 

She said the greater distance to health centres could be a hurdle in getting people who have overdosed the care they need in rural areas. 

The Australian government launched a take-home Naloxone program in 2022 which allows for people who are at risk of an opioid overdose and approved providers to take home naloxone to avoid a drug-induced death. 

Naloxone is available through the Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) sites. Locations include Walgett, Brewarrina, Coonamble, Gulargambone, Baradine, Nyngan, Gilgandra, Cobar, Warren, Lightning Ridge, Coolah, Goodooga and Collanerenbri. 

Naloxone can also be accessed through participating local pharmacies. 

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If you have been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article, please reach out to one of the numbers below. 

Family Drug Support Australia (FDS) - 1300 368 186

FDS is a national service for families dealing with drug and alcohol and provides a toll free, 24hr national telephone support line, as well as support groups, education programs, counselling and bereavement services for families.

National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline - 1800 250 015

The states and territories operate local alcohol and other drug telephone services that offer support, information, counselling and referrals to services. The hotline number will automatically direct callers to the 24hr Alcohol and Drug Information Service in their state or territory.

Harm Reduction Australia (HRA) –  https://www.harmreductionaustralia.org.au/get-help/

The HRA link provides a comprehensive list of national and jurisdictional contact details for people seeking assistance on a range of drug and related issues.