MIAMI VALLEY, Ohio (WDTN) — A new website will provide Ohioans with a simplified process for accessing naloxone, a lifesaving drug used in the event of an opioid overdose.
RecoveryOhio today announced the creation of Naloxone.Ohio.gov, which will provide resources for Project DAWN sites, law enforcement agencies or community members to make access to lifesaving medication as seamless as possible.
Naloxone is a critical tool in combatting the addiction crisis and making our communities safer for all Ohioans, according to RecoveryOhio.
This year, the state’s second annual Overdose Awareness Day will be commemorated on Wednesday, August 31 and begin recognition of September’s Recovery Month.
Established in 2021 by Senate Bill 30, Ohio Overdose Awareness Day aims to raise public awareness and remember the lives lost to the ongoing national opioid epidemic, according to an August 29 release from Governor Mike DeWine.
The new website makes requesting naloxone possible for all Ohioans, whether they are a first responder, community member or distribution site and enhances access to prevention and treatment information.
“Overdoses impact us all,” said Governor DeWine. “We know that naloxone is a critical tool in Ohio’s fight against addiction and, ultimately, makes our communities safer. I encourage Ohioans to use Naloxone.Ohio.gov and carry naloxone.”
In recognition of Overdose Awareness Day, state flags displayed at all state buildings and public institutions will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset.
“Knowing how to respond in an emergency can save lives, and it is our goal that these resources be widely shared in communities across Ohio,” said ODH Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, whose agency coordinates Ohio’s naloxone distribution efforts through the Project DAWN initiative.
More information can be found at RecoveryOhio.Gov, including a list of how Ohio communities plan to observe Ohio Overdose Awareness Day.
