Honoring Lives Lost: Taking Action for 2026 International Overdose Awareness Day

August 31st marks International Overdose Awareness Day, a global event aimed at raising awareness, reducing the stigma of drug-related deaths, and acknowledging the profound grief felt by families and friends. Here in Utah, this day serves as a poignant reminder of the lives we’ve lost, the resilience of our recovery community, and the urgent work that still lies ahead.

For many of us, this is not just a day on the calendar; it is deeply personal. It is a day to say the names of those we love who are no longer with us. It is a day to stand together and firmly state that every single life has value, and that overdose deaths are preventable.

Grief can often feel isolating, but on this day, we are reminded that we do not have to carry it alone.

How You Can Take Action in Utah

While mourning is a vital part of International Overdose Awareness Day, so too is taking action to protect the living. True harm reduction means meeting people where they are and fighting for policies that keep our community alive.

Here are three tangible ways you can take action this week:

1. Carry Naloxone (And Know How to Use It)

Naloxone is a safe, easy-to-use, life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. You do not need a prescription to get it. Under a statewide standing order, anyone in Utah can walk into a pharmacy and request naloxone.

Carrying naloxone is one of the most direct ways you can participate in harm reduction. If you aren’t sure how to use it, many local health departments and community organizations offer brief, free training. Check with our partners at Utah Naloxone for local distribution and training resources.

2. Join a Local Event or Vigil

Communities across Utah are hosting events to honor those we’ve lost and to stand in solidarity with those currently struggling or in recovery. Attending an event is a powerful way to break the silence and stigma surrounding overdose.

• Ogden: A speaker event and flower planting at their permanent Overdose Awareness memorial at the Botanical Gardens (1750 Monroe Blvd) on August 31st at 7:00 PM.
• Salt Lake: A public event is being held at the Utah State Capitol at 6:00 PM.
• St George: A gathering will take place at the Gardner Student Center in St. George at 6:00 PM.
• Carbon & Emery Counties: An evening event at Huntington State Park starting at 6:00 PM.
• Vernal: A remembrance event will be held at 7:00 PM at Colton Pavilion
• Tooele: A 7:00 PM event at Stansbury Park Clubhouse

3. Guide Local Opioid Settlement Funding

Utah is receiving millions of dollars from national opioid settlements, which are legally required to be used for opioid remediation, treatment, and recovery services. However, county governments decide how to allocate about half of these funds. You can take direct action by attending your local county commission meetings to ask how this settlement money is being spent in your community. Advocate for transparency and urge your local representatives to direct these funds toward evidence-based supports, accessible treatment options, and peer support programs rather than punitive measures. By holding local governments accountable, you can ensure this critical funding goes directly toward healing the individuals and families most impacted by the crisis. Find out more about how these funds are being spent in Utah here.

4. Become a Recovery Voter

Systemic change requires political action. Funding for harm reduction, mental health parity, and recovery support services all depend on who is sitting in the legislature.

We need policies that treat substance use as a public health issue, not a moral failing. The best way to honor those we’ve lost is to fight for a system that protects those still here.

Make your voice heard. If you haven’t already, please use our tools to Contact Your Legislator and Become a Recovery Voter today. We must ensure that behavioral health remains a top priority for Utah’s lawmakers.

Looking Ahead

As we move from August into September—which is National Recovery Month—we shift our focus toward celebrating the reality of recovery. We look forward to seeing many of you at Salt Lake Recovery Day on September 12th, 2026, and we are already preparing for the 2027 Rally for Recovery at the Capitol this coming February.

Today, we grieve. Tomorrow, we continue the work.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, please know that help is available and recovery is possible. Reach out to local resources or call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.