To prevent our friends, family, and neighbors in Colorado from dying of drug overdose, our response to the overdose crisis MUST be public health focused and led.
In recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, Harm Reduction Action Center + Bring Our Neighbors Home are teaming up to share the truth about drug overdose, and to empower you (yes, YOU!) to take simple steps to advocate for change.
Learn more & join us for each day of action below!
This is the deadliest overdose crisis in human history.
With 107,000 deaths from overdose in 2021, the US now has an overdose mortality rate that’s about 20 times the worldwide average and more than double that of the next closest nation. 51 years since the War on Drugs was declared, illicit substances remain inexpensive, readily available, and deadlier than ever.
What are Colorado policy makers doing about it?
For decades we’ve had lawmakers supporting ineffective, stigmatizing, carceral policies that have pushed people into a dangerous, unregulated drug market and criminalized them for what they chose to put in their bodies. Our current overdose crisis is the direct result.
In 2022, Colorado legislators doubled down on that antiquated, wrongheaded approach when they passed the Fentanyl Accountability & Prevention Act, which made personal use levels of possession of fentanyl (even without a person’s knowledge) a felony in our state. Public health experts tell us this approach will continue to cost lives.
“As a direct service provider we know that it’s crucial for the streets to influence the policy at the capitol. It’s increasingly difficult AND DEADLY to have to work under archaic drug policies, and legislators telling US what WE need to do. To save lives, we need to tell THEM what to do.”
- Lisa Raville | Executive Director, HRAC
Join us for a week of action
AUG 26 - Aug 31
Use the sign up form or follow Bring Our Neighbors Home and Harm Reduction Action Center on twitter for a simple action each day of this week to advocate for policy and programs that prevent overdoses and save lives.
We’ll help you contact your leaders and advocate for data-driven solutions, including:
✔ Widespread fentanyl and overdose education programs
✔ Widespread access to naloxone
✔ Treatment on demand, at low or no cost
✔ Safe use sites and safe supply
✔ Opposing laws that reduce access to fentanyl test strips
✔ Opposing laws that reduce access to naloxone
✔ Opposing laws that criminalize drug use and drug users
✔ Challenging the stigma surrounding drug use