Preventing Overdose

In 2006, more than 26,000 lives were lost in the U.S. to the preventable tragedy of accidental drug overdose. This is the highest number of accidental drug overdoses ever recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This crisis now claims more lives each year than firearms, homicides or HIV/AIDS. Accidental drug overdose is currently the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States for people between the ages of 35-54 and the second leading cause of injury-related death for young people.

DPA is leading the national effort to help save lives by promoting sensible solutions and better policy at the state and federal level. A major advance in helping to prevent accidental fatal overdose is the Drug Overdose Reduction Act (H.R. 2855), recently introduced by Representative Donna F. Edwards (D-MD). If passed, The Drug Overdose Reduction Act would:

• Allocate much-needed federal resources for an overdose prevention grant program to provide cities, states, tribal governments and community-based groups with funding for new and existing overdose prevention programs
• Task the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with playing a vital role in reducing overdose deaths
• Commission studies on causes of the recent rise in overdose deaths which will be made accessible to the public.
• Create a nationwide surveillance system for monitoring overdose trends

You can take action and start helping to save lives today. To become an advocate for the passage of the Drug Overdose Reduction Act, read our advocacy guide. Or click here to urge your Congressional representative to support this lifesaving bill.

Overdose prevention programs are extremely cost effective, save lives and deliver critical resources and information to people most at risk of experiencing an overdose. Federal aid is also urgently needed to make the overdose reversal drug naloxone more widely available. Naloxone (also called Narcan) is an inexpensive, generic drug that works to reverse an opiate overdose by restoring breath to unconscious overdose victims. For more information, read Drug Policy Alliance’s comprehensive report, Preventing Overdose, Saving Lives, which assesses the overdose crisis and recommends a range of solutions, including establishing Good Samaritan 911 overdose policies in every state.

The Drug Policy Alliance is also leading the national overdose awareness campaign Purple Ribbons for Overdose Prevention. This national effort to raise awareness about the urgency of the overdose crisis kicked off with the launch of our Purple Ribbons for Overdose Prevention Facebook Cause. Over 11,000 members from around the world now share information and get involved in making a difference. You can help support our efforts by clicking to take action, hosting the web banner below on your website, or making a generous donation today to support our lifesaving work.

Media

• Articles by DPA staff about the overdose crisis:
  • Jill Harris: "Preventing Overdose, Saving Lives"
  • Meghan Ralston and Isaac Skelton: "One Year Later: Heath Ledger's Tragic Overdose Death Reminds Us More Must Be Done"
• Deepak Chopra advocates naloxone availability

Additional Resources

• Read DPA's report: Preventing Overdose, Saving Lives
• Learn more about the Drug Overdose Reduction Act
• Read the CDC report on the overdose crisis 
• Link to us from your website 

For press inquiries only, contact:

Tony Newman
Director, Media Relations
212-613-8026, cell: 646-335-5384
email: tnewman@drugpolicy.org

Meghan Ralston
Overdose Prevention Specialist
213-382-6400 ext. 2, cell: 323-681-5224
email: mralston@drugpolicy.org