August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day.
It’s the 25th anniversary of the day with the theme this year, “25 Years On. Still Needed.”
The goal is to highlight the ongoing urgency of the toxic drug and overdose crisis, reducing stigma, and promoting life-saving prevention.
The medical officer of health for Windsor-Essex says this is an issue that can affect anyone, and even though overdoses are preventable, we still see lives being lost and that there’s work to be done despite any progress that’s been made to battle the issue.
Dr. Medhi Aloosh says our region remains one of the areas most impacted by opioid deaths in Ontario.
Aloosh says in 2025, we had the highest rate of opioid-related deaths among Ontario’s 10 largest cities.
“This is concerning, but the good part of the story is that since 2024, the rate of death has been reduced in our region, but still, we are at the top of the most impacted areas,” he says.
According to the health unit, there were 341 emergency department visits for an opioid overdose in 2025 compared to 519 in 2024.
There were 56 opioid-related deaths in this area in 2025 compared to 92 in 2024 and 127 in 2023.
Aloosh says this year they’re seeing increasing emergency department visits compared to last year.
“We also see among EMS calls related to substance use in Windsor-Essex there have been twice the 2024-2025 average, which is alarming. It shows us that there are activities and substances that are circulating and are toxic,” he says.
Aloosh says overdoses are preventable and substance abuse does not discriminate; it can affect anyone in our community.
“It’s important to remember that the stigma can prevent people from seeking help, accessing services, and reaching for help. It’s important for us to speak kindly and challenge the stigma when we hear about that and learn how to support our community,” he says.
There are several ways to identify if someone is suffering from an overdose, including if they are slow to respond, breathing is slow, or they are making snoring or gurgling sounds, or if their lips appear blue or grey.
When it comes to substance use, snoring should not be seen as normal, as it may be a sign of a significant and life-threatening emergency or an airway obstruction, and you should try to wake the person immediately.
If you suspect someone is suffering from an overdose, call 9-1-1 immediately. If you are looking for general health unit support or addiction service navigation, you can contact the Windsor WECHU Office at (519) 258-2146.