A vigil is planned tonight in Loring Park in Minneapolis to remember those who have died from a drug overdose, as today is International Overdose Awareness Day.
Miles Halmin-Zamojski has dedicated his life to preventing drug overdoses, and now he is the executive director of Minnesota Overdose Awareness. Obviously, he says that those most impacted are those using.
“Nobody is more impacted by overdoses and the overdose crisis than the drug-using communities,” Halmin-Zamojski said.
Minnesota Overdose Awareness is an organization that started 12 years ago when just one hundred people died in Minnesota; now, that number stands at 1,200. One reason for the increase? Fentanyl.
“Fentanyl has really changed the equation for what’s happening,” Halmin-Zamojski said. “We’ve had a 40% increase in deaths here in Minnesota.”
But not all hope is lost as he says the overdose reversal drug naloxone is a game changer, as long as it gets into the right hands.
Being a child of heroin, Halmin-Zamojski says he feels for the mothers who suffer after their child dies, but people are losing more than just one friend or family member.
“I feel for all the mothers, people who have lost one family member, but I talk to people who are using; they’ve lost multiple friends,” Halmin-Zamojski said.
Remembering his own mother, Halmin-Zamojski says he wants to ensure all those who die are properly honored.
“It’s kind of my mission to make sure that there is some value to her life as well through all of this work because it’s thanks to her that I exist and I’m able to do this,” Halmin-Zamojski said.
