Campaign Targets Seven U.S. Cities – Louisville, KY; Durham, NC; Milwaukee, WI; Newark, NJ; Albuquerque, NM; Philadelphia, PA; and Detroit, MI
NEW YORK, NY – In a drive to curb a decade-long rise in drug overdose deaths in Black populations, a “You Have the Power to Save Lives” campaign launched in seven U.S. cities today urging community leaders to collaborate with public, civic, clergy, and other local influencers to promote access to the lifesaving, overdose-reversing medication in their neighborhoods.
The core message and call to action is for Black leaders and communities to talk about and carry naloxone, taking power into their own hands to save a life. A ZOOM press conference and rally was held today with media and community, civic, and government leaders from the target cities. A video of the press conference will be available after the event HERE.
The campaign also released a report consolidating recent evidence that illustrates the need for urgent action to save lives, finding:
* Overdose is the leading cause of preventable death for Black adults in the United States, surpassing gun violence and car crashes. In many cities, older Black men are four times more likely to die of overdose than other men in their age group.
* Overdose rates in Black communities have been rising for the past ten years, but have skyrocketed since 2020, when overdose rates in the Black population overtook rates in the white population.
* In the vast majority of states where recent data is available by race, Black communities suffer higher fatal overdose rates than white populations.
* Nationwide, there has been a recent 24% decline in overdose deaths, but data suggests the number of deaths in Black communities remains disproportionately high and calls for equitable investment and focus on health interventions to address this problem.
* Increasing community-based naloxone access is an impactful way to reduce overdose deaths: Most overdoses occur in the home; up to 40% of overdoses are witnessed by someone who could have intervened if the naloxone were on hand.
Supported by public health organization Vital Strategies, with funding from the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the “You Have the Power to Save Lives” campaign includes more than a dozen community groups, health organizations, and local government agencies. Their efforts focus on establishing new naloxone distribution points in Black communities—including firehouses, neighborhood gathering spaces, and local health providers—to reduce the stigma around carrying naloxone and empower individuals to save lives in the event of an overdose.
“We are cautiously optimistic about declining overdose death rates, but we also know that deep disparities remain and that progress against overdose has not included all communities,” emphasized Daliah Heller, Vice President for Overdose Prevention Initiatives at Vital Strategies. “The rising number of drug overdose deaths in many Black communities underscores the urgent need for strategies that help communities promote better health outcomes. Expanding the availability of naloxone is one of the strategies we consider a high priority.”
Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League, applauded the “You Have the Power to Save Lives” campaign, adding that naloxone access is critical to reducing overdose deaths. “We fight by passing this knowledge on. Too many people are gone, and too many families have been devastated. It must be stopped so our communities can thrive.” Morial said. “Let’s make friends and families aware that this life-saving medicine is available so we can save our loved ones.”
Naloxone is a life-saving medication that reverses the effects of an opioid-related overdose within minutes. Available over-the-counter as a nasal spray, naloxone is a safe and easy-to-use medication. Opioids relieve pain by attaching to and activating specific receptors in the brain. Naloxone reverses opioid overdoses by blocking the receptors and preventing opioids from attaching. Naloxone can be purchased over the counter at pharmacies and is available for free through community distribution sites. It can be administered as a nasal spray without any specialized training.
Data from the seven target locations demonstrates why naloxone is needed in these cities:
ALBUQUERQUE: New Mexico’s drug overdose death rate has been one of the highest in the nation for most of the last two decades. In Bernalillo County, there were 70.2 overdose deaths per 100,000 Black residents from 2017 to 2021, compared to 34.7 white overdose deaths per 100,000. Link: https://ibis.doh.nm.gov/indicator/view/DrugOverdoseDth.Cnty.RacEth.html
DETROIT—In Michigan, the rate of overdose death was three times higher for Black individuals than for white individuals, and Black men and women were nearly half of the state’s overdose deaths, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. In 2023, one in five Michiganders lost to overdose lived in Wayne County, where the Black population dies from overdose at twice the rate of white residents. Link: https://www.michigan.gov/opioids/category-data
DURHAM—In Durham County, Black people account for only one-third of the county’s total population but nearly two-thirds of all overdose-related hospital admissions, according to 2024 data from the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kSGLLgnUKFTQHyqEk8pBoyyrXgn739lI
LOUISVILLE— In Kentucky, overdose deaths increased by 12% in the Black population from 2021 to 2023 while decreasing by 11% in the white population over the same period. Overdose fatalities in 2023 were 50% higher for Kentucky’s Black population than for the white population. Link: https://governor.ky.gov/attachments/2023-Drug-Overdose-Fatality-Report.pdf
MILWAUKEE— Death rates among Milwaukee’s Black community saw an overall decline in 2024 but remained twice as high as death rates among white Milwaukeeans, according to city data. Black Milwaukeeans accounted for 42% of all overdose deaths in Milwaukee County despite being only 27% of the county population.
NEWARK— Black residents accounted for more than 60% of all overdose deaths in Essex County in 2023. The rate of overdose death was three times higher among the Black population in the county than the white population. Link: https://www.nj.gov/health/populationhealth/opioid/sudors.shtml
PHILADELPHIA— In Philadelphia, the rate of overdose deaths in the Black population was almost twice the rate in the white population in 2023. Further, the rates of overdose death in North and West Philadelphia, both Black neighborhoods, are among the highest in the city, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. Link: https://philadelphiapublichealth.shinyapps.io/philastats/
Tracie M. Gardner, Executive Director of the National Black Harm Reduction Network, said that the “You Have the Power to Save Lives” campaign is urgently needed to be widely utilized by community and grassroots leaders to curtail overdose deaths.
“To bring persistently high overdose rates in Black populations down, we can draw upon the strengths, values, and beliefs within our communities,” maintained Gardner, whose organization is a key partner in the campaign. “One of the legacies of the war on drugs is stigma and mistrust. We’re proud that the campaign is built in partnership with Black community champions and will reach into communities through talk shows, community newspapers, church bulletins, and neighborhood hubs to promote lifesaving naloxone.”
Kimberly Douglas, a mother from Bowie, Maryland, whose son died from a drug overdose, is a strong advocate for the campaign. “Nearly two years ago, I lost my 17-year-old son, Bryce, to a drug overdose. Now, I search for other mothers who have lost their children.
Talking helps relieve the hollowness left by this loss. But it’s difficult to find other Black mothers willing to acknowledge and share their grief. Black women are celebrated for our resilience, strength, and ability to overcome adversity. But this has been a lonely journey for me.”
Douglas started a Facebook group, Black Moms Against Overdose, seeking a safe place for Black families whose loved ones overdosed.
“I am participating in this campaign by Vital Strategies to urgently increase awareness of the need to make naloxone, the life-saving medication, more accessible in Black communities,” Douglas said. “At the core of this campaign are personal stories, like mine, of individuals directly affected by overdose deaths. We can make a difference. Bryce will not walk through my front door again, but we can ensure that more sons and daughters make it home.”
Go to YouCanSaveLives.org for more information about the “You Have the Power to Save Lives” campaign and how you can get involved.
About Vital Strategies:
Vital Strategies is a global health organization that believes every person should be protected by a strong public health system. Our overdose prevention program works to strengthen and scale evidence-based, data-driven policies and interventions to create equitable and sustainable reductions in overdose deaths in several U.S. states and local jurisdictions.
About the National Black Harm Reduction Network:
The National Black Harm Reduction Network is dedicated to advancing harm reduction principles that optimize health and wellness for Black people who are disproportionately harmed by public health initiatives, the criminal legal system, and drug policies. Learn more here.
