Published: 08/31/2026 | Author: Courtney Myers

Opioid overdose prevention gets easier when the medication that reverses an overdose is free and someone shows you how to use it. That is what Grant County, Washington is offering on Saturday, August 29, at its fourth annual Community Resource Fair and International Overdose Awareness Day event.

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McCosh Park, 401 W. Fourth Ave. in Moses Lake. Grant County Health District is partnering with the Moses Lake Farmers Market, and the resource fair sits along the same pathway as market vendors near the park’s picnic shelter, which means people can walk into it without having decided in advance to attend an addiction event.

Opioid Crisis by the Numbers in Grant County

Health district officials said overdose remains a significant public health issue locally. A total of 104 overdose-related deaths were reported in the county between 2022 and 2024.

Officials described overdose as a continuing problem in the county rather than a passing one, and the resource fair is now in its fourth year.

Opioid Overdose Prevention Starts With Free Narcan

Free Narcan, the nasal spray form of naloxone, will be available at the event. Participants can also receive brief training on how to administer it.

Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose by displacing opioids from receptors in the brain and restoring breathing. It works on heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioids including oxycodone and hydrocodone. It has no effect on someone who has not taken opioids, which is why it is safe to use when you are not certain what is happening.

Signs of an opioid overdose include unresponsiveness, slow or stopped breathing, blue or grayish lips and fingertips, and pinpoint pupils. Naloxone can wear off before the opioid does, so emergency services should be called even after someone responds.

Fentanyl makes carrying naloxone more important than it once was. It is a synthetic opioid far more potent than heroin, it now appears in counterfeit pills and in supplies sold as other drugs, and a person may take it without knowing.

Who the Event Is Actually For

Health district officials framed the event for anyone who wants to learn more about supporting someone dealing with substance use disorder, whether that person is themselves, a family member, a friend, or another member of the community.

That framing matters, because an overdose is usually witnessed by someone who is not a clinician. Whether naloxone is in the room often comes down to whether a family member, friend, or bystander happens to be carrying it.

Remembrance Built Into the Day

The event includes a way to recognize people affected by overdose. Attendees can dedicate a purple flag in honor of someone whose life was saved with Narcan, or a white flag in memory of someone who died from an overdose.

International Overdose Awareness Day has been observed for 25 years and falls annually on August 31, two days after the Grant County event. Its purpose is to reduce the stigma around drug-related deaths while raising awareness of overdose prevention and available resources.

Grant County organizers described their event as part of that broader international effort to remember people who have died, support those living with substance use, and promote prevention and recovery.

Treatment and Peer Support for Opioid Addiction

An overdose reversal buys time. What follows determines whether it becomes a turning point. Medication for opioid use disorder is the most effective treatment available, and it substantially reduces the risk of dying.

Buprenorphine and methadone are opioid agonists that stabilize withdrawal and cravings, and naltrexone blocks opioid effects for people who have already completed withdrawal. These medications are typically paired with counseling.

Peer support runs alongside treatment for many people. Narcotics Anonymous is a free, worldwide 12-step fellowship for people recovering from drug addiction, with meetings in most communities and online. There is no cost and no requirement beyond a desire to stop using.

Finding Help for Opioid Addiction in Washington

If August 29 is not soon enough, or you are nowhere near Moses Lake, these routes are open now. Narcotics.com’s meeting directory lists NA meetings across Washington by city, including virtual meetings and beginner-friendly formats.

You can also search opioid treatment programs by location to find providers offering buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone.

Washington residents can find free naloxone through the state Department of Health’s locator and through many pharmacies without a prescription. Call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to learn more about treatment options near you.