Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Olympia City Council approved a proclamation designating Aug. 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day, as the group reaffirmed a commitment to reducing stigma, promoting harm-reduction strategies and supporting pathways to recovery.
During a meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 25, council members participated in a shared reading of the proclamation, emphasizing that no community in Washington is untouched by overdose and deaths driven by substances, ranging from alcohol and over-the-counter medications to stimulants and opioids, are preventable.
According to a staff report, Olympia communities experience the impacts of substance use differently, with overdose risk disproportionately affecting people facing systemic barriers, such as unstable housing, untreated behavioral health conditions, economic insecurity and historical inequities in access to health care.
Marginalized groups, including people with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, communities of color and residents living in poverty, often encounter additional stigma and reduced access to prevention, treatment and recovery services.
Christina McVeigh, co-Director of Franklin Street Harm Reduction, said every overdose is preventable. She highlighted the need for equitable access to addiction treatment, behavioral health care, and person-centered recovery pathways.
McVeigh also urged the community to honor individuals who have died from overdose, while supporting people in recovery and others who continue to use drugs.
Council member Robert Vanderpool described Franklin Street Harm Reduction as a “hub for a lot of services,” noting its role in helping the region address broader issues of homelessness, health and safety.
Council member Kelly Green said repeated public education about overdose prevention “finally clicked” for her and prompted her to start carrying naloxone. She compared carrying the opioid overdose reversal medication to CPR and first aid training, something she hoped she would never need to use but wants to be prepared to administer if necessary.
Mayor Dontae Payne said the city reaffirmed its commitment to treat overdose as a public health challenge, “reduce stigma through education, prevention, treatment and recovery support,” and deliver compassionate services.
Observed globally on Aug. 31, International Overdose Awareness Day seeks to improve understanding the overdose issue, memorialize people who have died, and that galvanized action reduces drug-related harms.
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JW
We're already well aware from the transient populations you've attracted, sustained, and grown.
Saturday, August 29 Report this
BettyVerdammt
All fashionable politicians will accessorize with Naloxone this Winter. That's the Fashion Report from the fashion capital of the performative Pacific Northwest!
Saturday, August 29 Report this
TheVirtualOne
How about a “Let’s Actually Do Something With The Millions Being Spent On The Overdose Problem In Olympia Day”. As already mentioned, we all know about this problem. All you have to do is drive downtown or by The Jungle. The City, County, and State governments have built a taxpayer funded overdose ATM with no accountability or results. That wouldn’t fly for a minute in the private sector.
Saturday, August 29 Report this
JoanneMc
When we moved to Olympia in the 1980's, the town was a vibrant, clean, and appealing place to raise our family. We were happy to bring our young children to events in the park, near the pier, and to nearby parks. However, over the last decade or so, there has been a steep decline in the quality of downtown Olympia's attraction to families. I now hesitate to bring my grandchildren to such events due to the changed nature of downtown today. I have found evidence of public urination/defecation/drug use, and garbage along sidewalks and city streets. Recently I stopped at the Artesian Well to get some water and found the area full of trash, with several people passed out, one of whom appeared to have perished. I reported the situation to the police, who did not seem concerned. Many businesses have closed, while others struggle to remain open. IMHO, we need the city council and local government to stop accepting this illegal and unhealthy behavior before it is too late.
Saturday, August 29 Report this
ViaLocal
thank you pharmaceutical companies for legalizing opioids for pain and exacerbating problems to a point it never would've been at if they hadn't legalized opioids for pain.
and what do we see MAGA doing? Blaming the people who need help. Because if they really wanted to, they would solve their problems.
MAGA
Monday, August 31 Report this
ViaLocal
MAGA teaches you to lack empathy. that way the companies who made things so bad by legalizing opioids never has to own up to what they did. and they get to keep the money the made by changing laws and creating way more addicts than we ever would have had if OPIOIDS HAD NEVER BEEN LEGALIZED FOR PAIN
Monday, August 31 Report this
TheVirtualOne
Where does MAGA enter this conversation about drug abuse? This is about people who have become addicted to drugs and can’t make the necessary and correct choices to get their own lives in order. Offer them help and if they choose not to accept it, then either force them into rehabilitation, or send them packing. People don’t change unless the status quo and darkness becomes more painful than the change they need but are avoiding. If they don’t want to or can’t change, let them go on their own terms, suffer the consequences, but do so away from harming those who choose the path of light.
Saturday, September 5 Report this