Beshear orders flags to half-staff for overdose victims

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Andy Beshear is directing that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff from sunrise until sunset on Wednesday, Aug. 31.

Tomorrow is Overdose Awareness Day in Kentucky.

In addition to lowering the flag, the Governor’s Mansion will be lit purple, the designated color to show support for overdose awareness, according to the governor’s office.

Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held on the same date each year to raise awareness of drug overdoses, to reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths and to acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends as they remember those who have died or have a permanent injury as a result of a drug overdose.

In the past year, there have been more than 107,000 overdose deaths across the nation. The synthetic opioid, fentanyl, is responsible for nearly 70% of deadly overdoses, the leading cause of death for people 18 to 45 years old.