On Thursday, August 29, the Sallisaw Now Coalition hosted a proclamation signing at the Stanley Tubbs Memorial Library in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day. Sallisaw Mayor Ernie Martens signed the proclamation declaring Saturday, August 31, 2024, International Overdose Awareness Day for the City of Sallisaw.
International Overdose Awareness Day takes place each year on August 31 and marks the world's largest annual campaign to end overdose. This day serves as a reminder that no one should fight this battle alone. While individual actions are crucial, coming together as an international community creates a powerful collective force against overdose.
The proclamation highlighted the alarming statistics in Oklahoma, where an average of 94 people are hospitalized weekly due to drug overdose, and 12 Oklahomans die from unintentional overdoses each week. The most common drugs involved in these hospitalizations include opioids, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and non-opioid pain medications.
Sequoyah County has been particularly affected, ranking 20th in the state for the highest drug overdose death rate. Notably, 4 out of 5 overdose cases in the county had a history of drug abuse, and one in five had a history of mental illness.
The Sallisaw Now Coalition works daily to promote drug prevention and mental health awareness across Sequoyah County. The organization offers resources such as medication lock boxes, sharps containers, and Narcan at no charge. For questions or resources, contact the coalition at (918) 208-0733.
Lindsie Dyer, KXMX Staff Writer
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