Smooth Rock Falls Proclaims August 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day
The Town of Smooth Rock Falls has designated August 31, 2025, as International Overdose Awareness Day, based on a proclamation signed by Mayor Patrick Roberts.
International Overdose Awareness Day is observed each year on August 31 to address the impact of overdose and reduce the stigma surrounding substance use disorders. According to the proclamation, this day also acknowledges the grief experienced by families, friends, and the community following overdose deaths.
The proclamation refers to a 2023 declaration from the Porcupine Health Unit, which identified the opioid-related overdose crisis as a public health emergency. The proclamation states that in 2022, parts of the Health Unit area had opioid-related overdose death rates of 50.3 and 35.7 per 100,000 population. The document does not specify which localities these figures represent. It notes that the Ontario provincial rate for the same period was 17.7 per 100,000.
Drug-related overdose is described in the proclamation as an international health concern affecting many communities. The document also states that International Overdose Awareness Day aims to focus attention on actions that can help prevent overdose deaths.
Mayor Roberts signed the proclamation on August 18, 2025. The full text of the document is available on the Town of Smooth Rock Falls website.