It started as a BBQ at a Melbourne needle exchange in 2001. Twenty-five years later, International Overdose Awareness Day is marked in 40+ countries and over 1000 events worldwide, because Australia is still losing seven people a day to overdose. This edition of User’s News looks at the day's history, how communities across NSW are marking the 31st of August this year, and the everyday actions that keep the message alive long after the purple lights go out.

This Sunday August 31st marks International Overdose Awareness Day. The theme for 2025 is "one big family, driven by hope", a sentiment thar resonates deeply with our community here at NUAA. On this day we reflect on our shared hope, honour the loved ones we’ve lost to overdose, and come together as a community to further our overdose prevention efforts. 

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), the world’s largest annual campaign to end accidental overdose.  This year’s theme is ‘Together We Can’.  Against this sentiment of hope and togetherness, the title for ACON’s IAOD event ‘Stories from the Underworld’ seems rather mysterious.