The Wire

The Salvation Army and the National Council on Drugs, have warned politicians and the public not to become complacent about deaths from drug overdoses in Australia. In recent years the number of lives lost to overdoses has dramatically decreased – from a high 10 years ago of 1200 deaths per year, down to an average of 400. But that’s still more than one death per day from a very preventable cause. The Salvation Army is one of the groups behind Overdose Awareness Day, which was held yesterday. The organizers of the event say that it’s an opportunity to stimulate discussion on the stigma associated with drug use, as well as overdose prevention and drug policy.