HJR23 Summary

• Designates August 31 of each year as Overdose Awareness Day in Alabama to raise awareness of drug overdoses and reduce stigma of drug-related deaths.

• Requests the Governor order flags flown at half-staff throughout the state on Overdose Awareness Day and issue a proclamation encouraging public officials and residents to observe the day with appropriate activities and programs.

• Recognizes that 67,367 individuals in the United States died from drug overdoses in 2018 and that drug addiction is classified as a chronic disease by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization.

• Acknowledges that recognizing this day sends a message that people struggling with addiction are valued and that overdose death is preventable.