Town of Islip Bringing Awareness To Opioids And Overdose Increase

ISLIP, NY —On Thursday afternoon, Town of Islip officials kicked off "Opioid Awareness Month" at Islip Town Hall in Islip. September is Recovery Awareness Month across the country, and Long Island has been feeling the effects of the larger opioid crisis.

On the heels ofmultiple overdose tragedies in one week on the North Fork, Suffolk County launched a campaign to distribute lifesaving overdose information and resources to residents. Islip Town has decorated Town Hall with purple opioid awareness flags and is launching an informational campaign to raise the public's awareness of a "significant increase in opioid and heroin use since the pandemic and quarantine began."

The Center for Disease Control reported 93,331 opioid and heroin overdose deaths in 2020 in the U.S., more than any year. According to a news release from Islip Town, Suffolk County and specifically Islip and Brookhaven Towns, have also seen these numbers go up.

Businesses and residents can also "go purple" with purple lawn signs and purple lights to "unite the Town of Islip in raising awareness of substance use disorder and celebrating those in recovery."

A local resource list for those affected by addiction can be found here.