REGINA — Aug. 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day, a day to remember the people who have been lost to addictions, to raise awareness of the dangers of illicit drugs and the importance of preventing overdoses.
The day also carries a message that there is hope for recovery and help available through treatment.
To help prevent overdoses, Overdose Outreach Teams in Regina and Saskatoon reach out to people who have recently overdosed to help connect them with services and supports to help them avoid future overdoses and to provide a pathway to treatment and ongoing recovery. A new Provincial Drug Alert System was launched in January, and drug testing services are also available, to help people understand the dangers of illicit drugs which include the risks of overdose, death and the presence of other toxic substances that further increase these risks.
Take Home Naloxone (THN) Kits are now available free of charge at over 430 locations across the province, with more locations being added. Since the THN program was introduced in 2015, over 44,000 people have been trained to use naloxone and over 12,000 overdoses have been reversed by members of the public with naloxone provided by the program.
Anyone who witnesses an overdose is encouraged to call 911 knowing that the federal Good Samaritan Act protects from simple possession charges for people who seek help with an overdose for themselves or others.
Visit: for more information about overdose prevention.
