photo provided
LINCOLN – At a ceremony at the Nebraska State Capitol on August 7, 2023, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen declared August 25-August 31, Nebraska Drug Overdose Awareness Week, (NDOAW).
“We can all be part of the solution by supporting programs in our communities, helping to spread awareness about overdose, talking to our children, properly disposing and storing medications and carrying lifesaving Narcan. August 31st was established as International Drug Overdose Awareness Day to increase public knowledge about the severity of drug overdose, and the Nebraska Drug Overdose Awareness Week is aimed at letting people know how they can help and to remember those that have been lost to drug overdose,” said Amy Holman, Project Coordinator for the Nebraska Pharmacists Association.
Words Matter! This year, we are asking people to go to the Stop Overdose Nebraska website, stopodne.com and take the pledge to change the language that we use. If someone feels that they are being stigmatized because of the language they hear others using, they may not ask for help. Be the reason they do.
During NDOAW we will be showcasing some videos speaking with former Senator Sara Howard who lost her sister to an opioid overdose and how she has fought to get laws changed in Nebraska because of this. We will also be talking to Stephanie, a mother who lost her son Andrew to an accidental drug overdose while at college, and to Chris and Taisa with Wellbeing Initiative on why words matter in our fight to help people who might be suffering from a substance use disorder and how that can affect their friends and family.
We are excited to announce that online ordering is now an option to get Narcan. We will be demonstrating how easy that is, along with a demonstration on how to use Narcan.
Follow us on our social media platforms for links to these videos and more information on Nebraska Drug Overdose Awareness Week.