The Aug. 30 event will include a demonstration of the use of Narcan, which can save those suffering from a fentanyl overdose.
Sonoma County sees an average of 12 people die per month from drug overdoses—the third highest rate among Bay Area counties, report county officials. San Francisco and Alameda counties top the list, respectively, according to regional coroner data released this summer.
In recognition of this, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors recently proclaimed Aug. 30 as Overdose Awareness Day. “Those affected by overdoses are not just individuals with substance use disorder; many people have friends or family who have died from an overdose,” county officials said this week in an announcement.
“With fentanyl having emerged as a stealth drug often unknowingly mixed into other drugs, the situation has only become more dire,” county officials said. In an effort to raise awareness of the dangers of overdosing, the Sonoma County Department of Health Services is hosting a community event Aug. 30 in Santa Rosa to bring greater attention to the crisis. The event, which takes place from 1 to 4 p.m., at 1430 Neotomas Ave., will include music, art, food and a display of classic lowriders from the Latin Rollers Car Club.
Attendees will also be able to observe a demonstration of the opioid overdose reversal drug Naloxone, which is also sold as Narcan. Strips that allow users to test for the presence of fentanyl in drugs will also be on display. The free, family-friendly event family-friendly day is planned as “a celebration of life and a day to honor the memory of loved ones lost to overdoses,” the county said.
County substance use disorder manager Shelley Alves said the crisis impact every neighborhood in the county. “This fight doesn’t end,” she said. “We must remain vigilant, adapt to the changing drug market and stand together as a community.”
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