thegreenhand
Bluelight Crew
A Proclamation on Overdose Awareness Week, 2022
The White House (Biden administration)26 Aug 2022
Excerpt:
The overdose epidemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on our Nation, claiming the lives of far too many Americans and devastating families and communities across the country. During Overdose Awareness Week, we renew our commitment to taking bold action to prevent overdoses and related deaths. We continue our efforts to enhance prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support services for individuals with substance use disorder and addiction. We affirm our duty to stop the flow of illicit drugs from reaching our communities.
As the overdose epidemic has evolved, synthetic opioids –particularly illicitly manufactured fentanyl — now drive the majority of overdose deaths. In 2021, more than 100,000 people died from an overdose, an approximate 15 percent increase from the previous year. Every loss is a painful reminder that, now more than ever, we must address our Nation’s overdose epidemic.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim August 28 through September 3, 2022, as Overdose Awareness Week.