On average, 115 Americans die every day from opioid overdose. Opioid-related deaths are consistently rising throughout Shelby County, with rates doubling in just three years. There were 854 opioid-related emergency department visits in Shelby County in 2018 alone, and in 2017 more Shelby County residents died from opioid overdose than in car accidents. If nothing is done to combat this epidemic, it will continue to get worse in our community; It is projected that by 2020, more than 250 opioid-related deaths will occur on a yearly basis in Shelby County. Shelby county efforts to reduce opioid misuse and abuse and opioid-related deaths includes awareness and prevention campaigns and events such as: COUNT IT! LOCK IT! DROP IT!, Tennessee REDLINE the opioid misuse and abuse toll-free information and referral line, and vendor events providing dirty needle exchanges, free Narcan kits, counseling services and rehabilitation & treatment center information.

 Opioid misuse and abuse does not discriminate: it affects all ages, races & ethnicities, genders, and economic backgrounds. It is important for us to help people understand "opioid addiction can happen to any of us” and more importantly that opioid addiction is preventable.