Dear John:
More than 183,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States, and this number is rising.
Every one of these deaths is a family member, friend and loved one lost forever. Most of these lives could have been saved.
The same is true of our nation’s overdose crisis. 72,000 died in the U.S. last year from overdoses. Because of the isolation, stress and despair many feel during the pandemic, overdose deaths are rising - by as much as 60 percent in some states.
On International Overdose Awareness Day, People’s Action groups all across the country are rising up to demand we #EndOverdoseNow.
Experts say as many as 90 percent of COVID-19 deaths could have been prevented - if our government had listened to public health experts and scientists, rather than pretending the pandemic will magically disappear.
Overdose deaths, too, can be prevented, and we know how - but instead, officials refuse to take advice from public health experts and scientists. Instead, they wish it would all just go away.
You can’t bring back a single life that’s lost. But if you have the power to prevent deaths, you must.
That’s why People’s Action demands we respond to our overdose crisis with both evidence and compassion.
From New York to North Carolina, New Jersey to New Hampshire and Maine to Ohio, we demand proven solutions from our politicians - like accessible healthcare, life-saving treatments, and harm reduction measures - to stop preventable overdose deaths.
The way to save lives from overdose is harm reduction: meeting drug users where they are, with the treatments they need, rather than stigmatizing and criminalizing their behavior.
Countries that adopt harm-reduction strategies like Naloxone, which first responders use to stop overdoses, Medication Assisted Treatments (MAT) and needle exchanges witness a dramatic drop in overdose deaths. This is not wishful thinking; it’s proven science.
For decades, drug policies have been used to target and incarcerate people of color, especially Black Americans, rather than heal. Only now are we starting to see drug use for what it is: a health issue that should focus on treatment and recovery.
Our shifting responses to drugs have always been color-coded. We need to end the criminalization of drugs and people who use them, prioritize proven treatments and remove barriers for people to get and stay well.
Join us right now as we stand up and demand proven solutions from our politicians to stop preventable overdose deaths.
Join us as we demand the next COVID-19 relief package and 2021 budget include funds for harm reduction programs and health care to save lives.
In solidarity,
Sondra Youdelman
Campaigns Director
People’s Action
