Event to highlight overdose problems

Jackson County Drug-Free Council plans to mark International Overdose Awareness Day with a candle-lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at One Chamber Square, 101 S. Chestnut St., Seymour.

The public invited to this free event.

Overdose Awareness Day has been a key remembrance event for those who have died from fatal drug overdoses since 2001, according to a news release from the council.

On Aug. 31, thousands of people worldwide will stand alongside the friends and families of fatal overdose victims to reflect on those who have been lost. The event is organized on the understanding that no one needs to feel shame or disgrace over a drug overdose.

The event offers all who have been affected by an overdose the chance to publicly mourn and help the wider community understand that fatal overdoses profoundly affect mainstream society.