International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is marked on August 31 every year. This global event is held in memory of those who have tragically ended their lives, and to raise awareness of overdoses and reduce the stigma of people who use drugs.

The motto of this year’s campaign is “Time to remember. Time to act.” More information about the international campaign can be downloaded from the website www.overdoseday.com.

On this occasion, the Drug Policy Network in Southeast Europe held an international event where it presented the latest data on drug-related deaths in Serbia. According to data published by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, 835 people died as a result of drug use in Serbia in the period 2008-2021. Among them, there were 732 men and 103 women.

The most common cause is the use of heroin (213 people) and other opiates (83). The problem with the data is that in a large number of cases (193) it has not been determined which substance caused the death, so it is difficult to design a good enough strategy to combat overdose.

Representatives of the Office for Combating Drugs of the Government of the Republic of Serbia took part in an online panel organized by the DPNSEE on the occasion of the International Overdose Awareness Day.