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