EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – This week is Overdose Awareness Week, a time to remember and mourn the lives of those lost to drug overdoses.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, overdose deaths have increased nearly every year for the past 25 years.
In 2022, there were 1,464 opioid-related deaths in Wisconsin.
To help save lives, the Eau Claire City-County Health Department is educating the community on safe storage and disposal of medications and how to use tools like Narcan.
“Overdose deaths are preventable if communities respond in a timely manner and know how to respond,” said Public Health Specialist Sara Dilivan Pospisil.
International Overdose Awareness Day is August 31st.
The health department plans to hold another opioid workshop in September.
Narcan nasal spray and fentanyl testing strips are available free of charge at the Harm Reduction Vending Machine in the lobby of the Eau Claire County Jail.
Copyright 2024 WEAU. All rights reserved.
