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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 13, 2024 04:59 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator John I. Kane and Sen. Timothy P. Kearney |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Recognizing August 31, 2024 as Overdose Awareness Day in Pennsylvania |
| Drug addiction is a chronic disease, characterized by compulsive or difficult to control substance use despite harmful consequences. Both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recognize opioid abuse as a fast-growing epidemic that can all too easily lead to overdose and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 107,941 individuals in the United States died from drug overdoses in 2022, with 5,146 deaths happening in Pennsylvania alone. The national age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths increased 0.2% from 2021 to 2022 with 32.6 deaths per 100,000 residents. Every drug overdose that results in death, there are many more nonfatal overdoses, each taking an emotional and economic toll on the individual, their family, and the community at large. We have witnessed the difficult toll this has taken on our constituents, communities, friends, and families. To bring awareness and to help the many Pennsylvanians that have struggled with overdoses and impacts of drug overdoses, we are introducing a resolution to recognize August 31, 2024 as Overdose Awareness Day in Pennsylvania. In addition to recognizing this day, the resolution urges the Governor to fly flags at half-staff at all Commonwealth buildings for those that have lost their lives to opioid overdoses. Please join us in cosponsoring this resolution. |
Introduced as SR308