WHEREAS, addiction is a medical disease related to substance [ abuse use ] disorder, and many individuals suffering from addiction may accidentally or intentionally consume an excessive dose of dangerous substances, sometimes resulting in death; and

WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 770,000 Americans died from drug overdoses between 1999 and 2019, and the total number of deaths per year has more than quadrupled in that time; and

WHEREAS, according to the Department of Health, fatal drug overdose was the leading cause of unnatural death in the Commonwealth from 2013 through the first quarter of 2020, with opioid use playing a significant role in the high rate of overdose deaths; and

WHEREAS, Virginia accounts for hundreds of overdose deaths each year, with thousands more individuals affected by addiction either personally or through family members or friends; and

WHEREAS, International Overdose Awareness Day sends a clear message to people currently suffering from addiction that they have not been forgotten and acknowledges the grief felt by families and friends remembering individuals who have died or suffered permanent injury as a result of addiction and drug overdose; and

WHEREAS, International Overdose Awareness Day raises awareness about the prevalence of addiction and provides an opportunity to encourage further discussion, to implement new policies and remove barriers to treatment and overdose prevention, and to address the evolving need for support and resources relating to substance use disorder; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly designate August 31, in 2021 and in each succeeding year, as International Overdose Awareness Day in Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the United States and Virginia flags be flown at half-mast on August 31 in memory of those who have lost their lives to addiction; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to the Department of Health so that members of the agency may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates post the designation of this day on the General Assembly's website.