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Treatment Experts Weigh in on International Overdose Awareness Day

TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. – With only a few days until the observance of International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), drug treatment experts in the Tampa Bay area are encouraging people who are struggling with substance abuse and addiction to seek help.

Team members from Footprints Beachside Recovery Center, a rehabilitation facility specializing in alcohol and opioid substance abuse and addiction treatment in Treasure Island, are spreading the message that overdose death can be prevented if those struggling with addiction and families act quickly.

“No family should have to suffer through the loss of a loved one because of an overdose,” said John Templeton Jr., president of Footprints Beachside Recovery Center. “We can’t stress enough the importance of getting help for yourself or your loved one before it is too late.”

Each year on August 31, communities around the world come together to remember those who have died from drug overdoses and raise awareness about the preventability of overdose death, as part of the observance.

IOAD seeks to create a better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, and create change that reduces the harms associated with drug use.

According to the latest data from the Center for Disease Control, from 1999 to 2017, more than 702,000 people have died from a drug overdose in the U.S. In 2017, more than 70,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the nation. Of those deaths, almost 68 percent involved a prescription or illicit opioid.

“Across the U.S., deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages,” said Templeton. “This can affect anyone at anytime, so it is important to seek help for yourself or a loved one quickly before it is too late.”

About Footprints Beachside Recovery Center:

Founded in 2008, Footprints Beachside Recovery Center is a small, private, holistic substance abuse treatment center for adults and is located in Pinellas County, Fla. Footprints provides specialized treatment plans for patients from throughout the U.S. and around the world. Opioid addiction recovery programs at Footprints focus on ensuring safe withdrawals and often combine holistic treatment with medication assisted therapies to reduce cravings and provide more successful recovery outcomes for patients.

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