National Opioid Awareness Day on Sunday, Sept. 21 is more than just a date on the calendar. It’s a reminder that while Michigan has made real progress against opioid overdoses, the crisis is far from over. We have to keep going.
As an anesthesiologist, a physician specializing in anesthesia, I work with some of the most powerful pain-relieving medications available. In the operating room, drugs like fentanyl, morphine, and hydromorphone are invaluable. At the right doses, these opioids relieve pain and ease anxiety. I have seen how these drugs can also slow breathing, drop blood pressure, or stop a heart.
That’s why anesthesiologists train for years to balance benefit and risk, adjusting every dose to the age, health and history of the patient we care for, even any previous opioid use. We also use nerve blocks and non-opioid medicines to minimize the amount of opioid given. In healthcare, opioid delivery is anything but “one size fits all.”
Outside healthcare settings, the picture is different. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is has become widespread — cheap to produce, far stronger than heroin and often hidden in counterfeit pills or powders. I’ve spoken with families who lost loved ones after unknowingly taking one of these pills. With fentanyl, overdoses can happen so quickly that emergency help may not arrive in time.
That’s why naloxone, the medication that can reverse an overdose, is so critical. Michigan has taken major steps to expand access through pharmacies, community nonprofits and even vending machines. Insurance companies often cover it, and hospitals send kits home with patients who may be at risk of overdose. Naloxone is a proven, non-addictive rescue medication that reverses overdoses and saves lives.
Our work isn’t done. We need to make sure every community, every school, and every family that wants naloxone can get it easily.
Through the Overdose Prevention Engagement Network, my colleagues and I are working to make opioid prescribing safer, educate communities and help Michigan continue leading the way in reducing overdoses. We’re proud of the partnerships we’ve built with the state to distribute naloxone widely. Sustaining and expanding these efforts will take ongoing support from policymakers, health professionals, families, schools and faith groups alike.
On this National Opioid Awareness Day, I hope people will remember two truths: opioids can be a vital tool when given by trained specialists, like anesthesiologists, and they can be deadly when obtained illicitly or used without medical supervision. If you or someone you love is at risk, make sure naloxone is nearby. And if you’re experiencing challenges with opioids or are concerned about opioid use disorder, you can find help by visiting Michigan’s Substance Use Disorder Services & Programs Dashboard.
Michigan has shown national leadership in overdose prevention, yet our work continues. Now we must keep acting to sustain that leadership — to protect our neighbors, preserve live, and build a future where pain is relieved safely and overdoses are no longer a leading cause of death.
Mark C. Bicket, MD, PhD, FASA is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan and Co-Director of the Overdose Prevention Engagement Network.
Originally published on Michigan Advance on September 21, 2025.
