01/09/2026
International Overdose Awareness Day 2026
Every August 31, International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) brings a global community together to take action on overdose.
This year the theme for IOAD is 25 Years On. Still Needed.
For 25 years, International Overdose Awareness Day has brought people together to remember those we’ve lost and to take action to save lives.
Overdose continues to affect every community. Yet it can be prevented. We know how to reduce risk and keep people safe. By collaborating openly with all sectors of society; learning from one another; and sharing best practices, up-to-date research and technology; and targeted public health alerts on emerging drug threats, we build a world where fewer lives are lost.
On this day, the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program (DAP) remains committed to share our expertise to help prevent and reduce overdose. Along with our internationally-renowned forensic lab partner, Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE), CPDAP sponsors a number of programs designed to reduce overdose: a Sentinel program that detects emerging lethal drug threats entering a country for the first time; a QTOF program (named after a monel drug analysis technique) that identifies the composition of street drugs that drive overdose epidemics in communities; training for forensic lab chemists on the latest analytical techniques to detect lethal synthetic drugs and complex drug mixtures; a global forensic drug testing lab directors network that shares experiences on the detection and reporting of emerging drug threats; public health alerts (global, regional, and national) on emerging drug threats that will cause overdose and mechanisms to counteract overdose; support for various regional and international forums, webinars; and training that address overdose; to name a few.
In conclusion, CPDAP looks forward to working with our international partners (both public and private sector) to address overdose by helping to reduce the mortality (death) and morbidity (chronic, life-threatening long-term chronic health problems) resulting from today's lethal synthetic drugs and dangerous drug mixtures.
