Governor Pillen declares drug overdose awareness week in Nebraska – KCSR / KBPY

At a ceremony at the Nebraska State Capitol on August 19, 2024, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen declared August 25-31 as Nebraska Drug Overdose Awareness Week (NDOAW).

“We can all be part of the solution by supporting programs in our communities, raising awareness about overdoses and fentanyl poisoning, talking to our children about the dangers of counterfeit pills, properly disposing of and storing medications, and carrying life-saving Narcan. August 31 has been declared International Drug Overdose Awareness Day to educate the public about the seriousness of drug overdoses. Nebraska Drug Overdose Awareness Week is designed to inform people how they can help and to remember those who have died from drug overdoses and fentanyl poisoning in our state,” said Amy Holman, project coordinator for the Nebraska Pharmacists Association.

On August 29, the Nebraska Pharmacists Association/Stop Overdose Nebraska, along with CenterPointe and Wellbeing Initiative, Inc., will host an overdose awareness and remembrance event from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the garden of the CenterPointe Campus for Health & Wellbeing, 2202 S. 11th Street in Lincoln. A speaker will share his experiences with drug use, there will be Narcan training and a candlelight vigil to remember overdose victims.

“Last August, we added online ordering of free Narcan at stopodne.com and have since shipped over 5,000 boxes of Narcan to the people of Nebraska. We are also in the process of implementing a new pilot program with Region V Systems that will place Narcan vending machines at two locations in Lincoln. This will provide people who use Matt Talbot and CenterPointe's services with access to life-saving Narcan. This is the first program of its kind in the state and a program that puts some of our opioid settlement funds to good use,” said Amy Holman, project coordinator for the Nebraska Pharmacists Association.

Courtesy of KNEB