Wednesday, September 18, 2024
The Hood County Commissioners Court recently designated Saturday, Aug. 31 as Hood County International Overdose Awareness Day, to address the ongoing crisis of substance abuse.
According to the proclamation read by Harley Walts, Hood County Substance Abuse Council’s executive director, substance misuse and drug overdose continues to be a significant public health crisis — claiming countless lives throughout communities worldwide.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that overdose deaths in the U.S. have recently surpassed 100,000 for the third consecutive year.
However, provisional data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics indicate a 3% decrease in drug overdose deaths between 2022 and 2023, representing a reduction of approximately 3,486 deaths. The CDC reports that this is the first annual decrease in drug overdose deaths since 2018.
According to an article from the Texas Tribune, the drug overdose rate was at 17 deaths per 100,000 residents in Texas back in 2021 — the last year with available data.
Every year, Aug. 31 is recognized as the National Overdose Awareness Day in remembrance of those lost to overdose, and to acknowledge the devastation this has brought to hundreds of thousands of affected family members and friends.
The proclamation states it is a day of coordinated response from substance use/misuse awareness groups, organizations and affected families sharing their lived experiences as part of a whole group. This day serves as an opportunity for those affected to both warn and inform our youth, the public and the unsuspecting.
According to the proclamation, Hood County recognizes the impact overdose has on an individual, family and community, as well as the resulting deaths in our community. As a result, the county wishes to recognize those affected locally by the tragedy of overdose and bring awareness, education and prevention resources to Hood County.
The Hood County Commissioners Court unanimously approved the proclamation to address this ongoing issue and to support those affected by overdose in the community.
