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HomeMy WebLinkAboutProclamation - International Overdose Awareness MonthProclamation International Overdose & Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month WHEREAS,Communities across Minnesota and the nation continue to face a devastating opioid and fentanyl crisis that claims the lives of thousands each year, leaving behind grieving families and forever-altered communities; and WHEREAS,In the most recent reporting year of 2024, 994 Minnesotans lost their lives to drug overdoses, with 602 of those deaths involving fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and often unknowingly ingested; and WHEREAS,The City of Hastings is not exempt from this epidemic, having lost four community members in the past year alone to overdose and/or fentanyl poisoning, a sobering reminder that this crisis reaches into every neighborhood, school, and family; and WHEREAS,Fentanyl poisoning is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45, surpassing motor vehicle accidents, suicide, and homicide; and WHEREAS,Overdoses can occur in people who have an addiction to substances as well as those who do not, such as someone accidentally overdosing on prescription opioids after a surgery or an injury, an elderly person consuming too much of a prescribed pain reliever, or a teenager experimenting with drugs for the first time, or a child accidentally ingesting an opioid. Most fentanyl-related deaths are due to individuals unknowingly consuming fentanyl-laced substances, including counterfeit pills and other street drugs, underscoring the urgent need for public education and awareness; and WHEREAS,Families, friends, educators, first responders, public health professionals, and community advocates in Hastings and across Minnesota are working tirelessly to prevent these tragedies, provide resources for recovery, and support those affected by substance use disorder and grief; and NOW, THEREFORE,I, Mayor Mary Fasbender,Mayor of the City of Hastings, Minnesota, do hereby proclaim the Month of August to recognize National Fentanyl Prevention & Awareness Day on August 21 and International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, in Hastings, and encourage all residents, organizations, schools, and faith communities to come together in remembrance of those we have lost, to support those in recovery, and to commit to working toward a safer, more informed, and more compassionate community. ____________________________ Mary D. Fasbender, Mayor