Alabama is marking National Opioid Awareness Day with some encouraging news — substance-related overdose deaths in the state dropped 46% from March 2024 to March 2026, according to provisional federal data cited by the Alabama Department of Mental Health.
The decline comes as the state observes National Opioid Awareness Day today, September 21, with a message that the fight against opioid misuse doesn’t end when the day does: “Today is National Opioid Awareness Day. In Alabama, it’s every day.”
The department said fentanyl and other synthetic opioids continue to contribute significantly to overdose risk in Alabama, despite the decline in deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions that provisional overdose data can change as additional death records are received and processed.
“In Alabama, we are committed to increasing awareness through continued education, prevention, treatment and recovery supports. As we celebrate National Opioid Awareness Day today and every day, we are encouraged by the progress made to expand access to care, support individuals and families, decrease overdoses, and save lives,” said Commissioner Kimberly Boswell, Alabama Department of Mental Health.
One part of that effort has been making naloxone, an overdose-reversal medication, more readily available.
According to ADMH, more than 222,000 naloxone kits have been distributed across the state since 2019. The department’s 2025 year-end report shows 47,325 kits were distributed to 334 organizations last year alone, with nearly 97,000 distributed since March 2023.
Alabamians can find coupons and locations to purchase naloxone through Opioids Take’s naloxone resource page.
State officials credit the progress to coordinated efforts among the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council, the Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Settlement Funds, state agencies, community providers and other partners.
State Rep. Rex Reynolds (R-Huntsville), chairman of the Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Settlement Funds, said more than $34 million has been invested in prevention, treatment and recovery efforts. ADMH records document multiple rounds of opioid settlement funding appropriated by the Legislature for those purposes.
“While the height of the opioid epidemic is thankfully behind our state, its devastating impacts are still being felt across all of Alabama’s 67 counties. Through a strong partnership between the Alabama Legislature, the Department of Mental Health, and the Oversight Commission on Opioid Settlement Funds, our state has successfully invested over $34 million in prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts that are saving lives. National Opioid Awareness Day serves as a powerful reminder that while we should be proud of the progress we have made, our work is far from over,” Reynolds said.
As part of Monday’s observance, the state is spreading its message through digital billboards at 182 locations across Alabama, expanded messaging on social media and a homepage takeover at OpioidsTake.com. The website provides information about the dangers and risks associated with opioids, alternative pain-management strategies and treatment and recovery resources.
Opioids Take is an ongoing initiative funded through opioid settlement funds. In addition to educating Alabamians about the risks of opioids, the initiative shares stories of help, hope and healing and connects people with prevention, treatment and recovery resources.
Those looking for mental health or substance-use services can also use the Alabama Department of Mental Health’s community provider search.
