Village observes 25th annual International Overdose Awareness Day

Published on August 31, 2026

August 31 marks the 25th annual International Overdose Awareness Day. Organizations and communities all over the world are gathering to remember those who have lost their lives to overdose, and to take action to stop overdoses.

Since 2023, the Oak Park Public Health Department has led an Opioid Overdose Prevention program to educate the public about overdose prevention and provide the tools to save a life of someone experiencing an overdose.

The department has provided more than 7,000 doses of free Narcan and trained more than 150 community members on how to use this medication, which can be safely administered by lay people.

One simple thing you can do to help curb the opioid overdose epidemic? Have Narcan in your bag, purse or medicine cabinet at home. Having Narcan on hand in an emergency is the best way to stop an overdose and save a life:

Get free Narcan from these eight locations around town, or come in to Village Hall and ask for a Health Department staff member to provide you with a kit.

Here are simple ways you can do more this Overdose Awareness Day:

• Learn. Register for our free, hand-on trainings September 19 or November 14. Hear from our overdose prevention experts about how to tell if someone is overdosing, how to use Narcan and how this safe medication works in the body.
• Watch. Take a few minutes to watch our short videos about Narcan, and share them with your neighbors, family and friends.

Together, we can prevent overdoses in our community. 

For more information about opioid overdose prevention in Oak Park, contact the Public Health Department at health@oak-park.us or 708.358.5480.