Community / Candle lighting event to remember those lost to overdose

A CANDLE lighting event will take place in Lerwick this evening (Thursday) to mark International Overdose Awareness Day.

The event will be held at the flower park between 8pm and 10pm, and it will offer people the chance to light a candle to remember those who have died as a result of drug use.

NHS Shetland’s alcohol and drug development officer Wendy McConnachie said three people in Shetland died last year as a result of a drug overdose.

“That’s three people too many,” she said.

International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died from overdose, and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind.

McConnachie said the most significant risk for drug-related death is poly drug use – using more than one drug at the time. This includes alcohol.

“Opiates or opioids, so things like heroin, morphine and methadone are the most commonly implicated drug in drug related deaths in Scotland, however non-prescription benzodiazepines and cocaine are also commonly implicated,” she added.

Naloxone, a medicine that temporarily reverses an opioid overdose, is available locally.

People can access it from the Recovery Hub in Pitt Lane (01595 744402), or the Substance Misuse Recovery Service (01595 743006) at the Lerwick Health Centre.

“You can never know what is actually in the drugs you are taking or how strong they are,” McConnachie added.

“To reduce the risk of harm, the advice is don’t mix your drugs, don’t use alone, start with a low dose and always have naloxone available.”

She also pointed to the Shetland Alcohol and Drug Partnership website, which has “lots of harm reduction information, information about how to recognise an overdose and details of where to seek support”.

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