Governor proclaims Red Ribbon Week, encourages education about drug use prevention in schools

Alaska has been inundated with the scourge of drug overdoses, with the state ranking among the highest in the country for overdoses. There are no official reports for 2024 yet, but according to a 2023 Drug Overdose Mortality Update from the Alaska Department of Health, between 2014 and 2023, 1,757 drug overdose deaths have occurred in Alaska. An overwhelming percentage of those deaths, approximately 89%, were unintentional, while the rest were either suicide or other intents, such as homicide.

The same report said that the number of overdose deaths in 2023 rose from 247 deaths in 2022, to 357 deaths in 2023, a rise of 44.5% and while the people between 25-54 years typically experienced higher overdose death rates than other ages since 2019, 90% of people with substance use disorder say they started before they turned 18 years old.

To address substance use disorder prevention, Governor Mike Dunleavy issued an Executive Proclamation proclaiming October 23-31 to be Red Ribbon Week, an annual drug prevention awareness campaign, dedicated to preventing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and highlighting the importance of living a drug-free life.

“The Alaska Department of Health is committed to supporting these efforts through various initiatives, including providing schools with resources, activities, and materials to engage students in drug prevention education,” part of the Governor’s proclamation reads.

He also encouraged all Alaskans to participate in drug prevention education activities, not only during Red Ribbon Week, but also throughout the year, making a visible statement of Alaskans’ commitment to protecting the youth from the perils of substance use disorder by choosing to live drug-free.