International Overdose Awareness Day; Milwaukee leaders reveal 2025 events

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee leaders revealed on Monday, Aug. 25, the details of city events tied to International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD).

International Overdose Awareness Day

What we know:

IOAD is observed globally on Aug. 31 and is dedicated to remembering those lost to overdose and supporting families, friends, and survivors impacted by this crisis.

Milwaukee's theme for 2025, Driven by Hope, reflects the resilience of those affected and the importance of collective action to prevent future losses.

By the numbers:

City officials say Milwaukee has seen a meaningful decline in fatal overdoses after several years of record highs. In 2024, 369 people in the city died to overdose, a 30% decrease compared to the peak years of 2021–2023. Milwaukee leaders attribute this progress to collective community efforts, including greater access to naloxone, fentanyl test strips, treatment, and recovery supports. 

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

A news release says while the trend is encouraging, officials stress that every life lost is one too many and that continued vigilance is needed to sustain this progress.

Officials weigh in

What they're saying:

"We cannot just dismiss any human being when intervention can be a lifesaver tool," said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. "So as we mark Overdose Awareness Day, we ought to remember, that collective actions can certainly make a difference."

"For me, this issue is deeply personal," said Milwaukee County Executive. "You know, growing up as a kid, watching both of my parents struggle with their own addiction. And so, while I know that that experience was not necessarily easy for me, it has given me a great, a great understanding and deep understanding of what many families and children are facing all throughout our entire community."

"So the problem is insidious. We all know that," said Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski. "Nobody's shying away from that fact. Everybody here is unified. They've galvanized their efforts to push back and start solving the problems."

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

"The things that we want to accomplish, we need to have lasts for a long time so that the burden doesn't continue to affect our communities," said Marques Hogans of the Milwaukee Health Department. "Fortunately, we have a community that's rich in collaboration. We have partners that are addressing the needs."

"This year's theme for international Overdose Day is 'Driven By Hope.' We continue to allow that hope. We continue to allow that hope to be able to save a life," said Tahira Malik, RISE Drug Free MKE Coalition. "We keep that wind behind our wings to be able to provide hope to our communities. We normalize the conversation surrounding addiction because we can't provide hope if we're not able to be relatable and personable to individuals."