Every year on August 31st, we recognize International Overdose Awareness Day, the world’s largest campaign to bring attention to the loss of friends and family to drug overdose and to encourage all to take action to end overdose. At AIDS United, we recognize that our work to end the HIV epidemic is intrinsically tied to efforts to end the overdose epidemics as people who inject drugs (PWID) accounted for roughly 10% of the new HIV infections. The rate of HIV diagnoses also increased 5% among PWID from 2018 to 2022. Preventing overdose and lowering rates of diagnoses of HIV among people who use drugs means ensuring that they have access to the support and services they need without stigma or fear of criminalization.
Ending the overdose epidemic can’t be done without the work done by harm reductionists and syringe service programs in the community. We recognize that the on-the-ground work being done needs support now more than ever. For 20 years through our Harm Reduction Futures Fund (HRFF) initiative we have been able to provide this support. With the funds from the initiative, AIDS United supports syringe service programs (SSPs) across the nation in addressing the needs of people who use drugs, aiding in efforts to end the overdose and HIV epidemic.
We spoke with some of our HRFF grantees about the impact the overdose epidemic has had on their organization and staff. Maria C. Turvin, CEO and Clinical Director of Yanawana Herbolarios an Indigenous, women-led nonprofit that address the needs of Bexar County, Texas residents shared that, “The substances on the streets are becoming deadlier, requiring more and more doses of Narcan to revive our relatives. In the past accidental poisoning by opioids was something that only our heroin using clients needed to be concerned about. But many of the street drugs are now contaminated by fentanyl, creating risk of accidental opioid poisoning even from non-opioid substances.”
Angel Casillas with Gua’kia, a community-led SSP in Puerto Rico echoed similar thoughts, “Through informal testing of different substances, we have identified traces of fentanyl in mostly all substances available in the streets. Moreover, we have seen an increase of PWID that actively seek fentanyl because it has mostly replace the heroin demand.” Nationwide and in the local communities such as the ones the grantees are working in, have also dealt with the loss of program participants, staff, and supporters due to overdose.
Grants and funds like the HRFF ensure that we can end the overdose epidemic together. “Harm reduction includes advocating for safe use, the destigmatization of substance use, and meeting community needs,” says Turvin, “HRRF understands that harm reduction includes a multi-faceted approach, allowing funding to be used for things such as smoke kits, test strips, and community care. HRRF provides valuable resources and offers an incredible support system to their grantees, helping us to achieve our goals and fully serve our communities.”
Learn more about what you can do this International Overdose Awareness Day through toolkits like this one provided by the CDC and this one provided by the official campaign. Together, through continued collaboration and support for one another, we can end the overdose epidemic.
