Quick answers:
- International Overdose Awareness Day falls on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. This year's global theme is "25 Years On. Still Needed."
- Naloxone, the medication that reverses an opioid overdose, is sold at most Virginia pharmacies without an individual prescription.
- Altmed Medical Center offers confidential Suboxone treatment for opioid use disorder in Manassas, with walk-in, same-day, and telehealth options.
- If you think someone is overdosing, call 911 first. Naloxone buys time — it doesn't replace emergency care.
- Asking for help doesn't require a plan. It can start with one phone call.
Every year on Aug. 31, communities around the world pause for International Overdose Awareness Day. It's not a promotional day, and honestly, Altmed Medical Center in Manassas, VA doesn't treat it like one either. It's a day to remember the people this community has lost, to check in on the people still struggling, and to make sure anyone thinking about treatment knows where confidential Suboxone treatment and other support actually happen close to home.
Why does this day matter in Prince William County?
Because the numbers here are not abstract. Between 2018 and 2023, opioid-related overdoses took 454 lives across the greater Prince William area, and non-fatal overdoses have run above 300 a year since 2020, according to Prince William County. Those are neighbors, coworkers, kids who went through PWCS classrooms, people someone in Manassas actually knew.
There's real reason for hope mixed in with that grief. Preliminary state data show drug overdose deaths among Virginia residents fell 23% from 2024 to 2025, continuing a trend that's been building for a couple of years now. That's the tension behind this year's global IOAD theme, "25 Years On. Still Needed": real progress, and still real work left. Purple is the day's color, and if it shows up around town this week — a ribbon, a porch light, a table at the farmers market — that's usually why.
How do you recognize a possible opioid overdose?
The biggest warning signs are unresponsiveness and breathing that's slow, shallow, or stopped altogether. A person may also show:
- Blue or grayish lips, fingertips, or skin
- Gurgling, choking sounds, or snoring-like breathing
- Pinpoint pupils
- A limp body or no response to a firm shake or shout
If you see this, call 911 right away — don't wait to see if it passes. Stay with the person, and if naloxone is on hand, use it while you wait for emergency responders. Once someone is breathing again, turn them onto their side so they don't choke if they vomit. None of this replaces a trip to the hospital; naloxone wears off faster than many opioids do, and overdose can return.
Can you actually get naloxone without a prescription in Virginia?
Yes. Under Virginia's statewide standing order, any pharmacist in the state can dispense naloxone without that person needing an individual prescription from a doctor first, according to the Virginia Department of Health. In practice, that means walking into most pharmacies and asking for it directly. A two-dose nasal spray kit typically runs $40 to $50 out of pocket, though cost varies by pharmacy and insurance may help. Prince William County Community Services also runs REVIVE! trainings throughout the year — free 90-minute sessions that teach how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose, and participants leave with naloxone in hand. Details are usually posted at pwcva.gov/cs as Aug. 31 gets closer.
What does confidential Suboxone treatment actually involve?
Suboxone combines two medications, buprenorphine and naloxone, and it's prescribed to ease withdrawal and cravings for people with opioid use disorder — not to get anyone high, but to make the physical part of recovery survivable while the rest of the work happens. Access to this kind of care has actually widened in recent years. A federal rule change in 2023 did away with the old "X-waiver" requirement, so any provider with a standard DEA registration can now prescribe buprenorphine, not just specialists. According to SAMHSA, medications like buprenorphine cut the risk of a fatal overdose by roughly half compared with no treatment at all.
At Altmed, confidential Suboxone treatment in Manassas starts with an evaluation from a provider, not a lecture. Dr. Gerald Lee, who leads the clinic, is board-certified in addiction medicine specifically, alongside obesity medicine and pain management, so this isn't a side service tacked onto a walk-in clinic — it's something the practice actually built expertise around. If someone is medically stable, treatment can often begin the same day, with dosing adjusted over time and follow-up handled in person or by telehealth.
What if you're not ready for treatment yet?
That's allowed. Nobody has to have a plan figured out before reaching out, and a first conversation doesn't commit anyone to anything. Some people start by just carrying naloxone, or by learning what an overdose looks like so they can help a friend or family member. Others aren't ready to walk into a clinic at all yet, and that's part of why Altmed's telehealth option exists — confidential online visits for addiction management that someone can do from their own living room, on their own schedule, before they're ready for anything more.
What happens at a first visit?
Walk-ins are welcome at Altmed's Manassas location, though booking ahead through the appointment page usually means less waiting. The first visit covers a medical history, a conversation about goals and any current use, and — for patients who are ready — a same-day start on medication if it's appropriate. Everything discussed stays between the patient and their care team; Suboxone visits are handled with the same privacy as any other medical appointment, in person or through telehealth follow-ups.
A note for International Overdose Awareness Day
If you or someone you love is living with opioid use disorder, there's no need to wait for Aug. 31 to ask for help. Call Altmed Medical Center at (703) 361-4357, or reach out through the appointment page whenever you're ready to talk — no judgment, no lecture. If things feel more urgent than that, SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline are both free, confidential, and available right now.
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Altmed Medical Center offers urgent care, primary care, occupational health, telehealth, and medical weight-loss services in Manassas. If this article matches what you are dealing with, our team can help you choose the right service.
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