July 21 is the International Day of Remembrance for Deceased Drug Users

Monday, July 21, 2025,isthe International Day of Remembrance for Deceased Drug Users. In Jena too, numerous institutions will be holding a joint campaign on the Holzmarkt from 13:00 to 16:00 to draw attention to the often overlooked reality of the lives of drug users - and to the people who have died as a result of using illegalized substances.

The day of remembrance commemorates people like Ingo Marten from Gladbeck, who died in 1989 at the age of 20. His death was the catalyst for the first memorial for deceased drug users and the establishment of this day of remembrance, which has been celebrated annually since 1998. It is intended as a reminder - and at the same time to focus attention on the living.

50 drug-related deaths were registered in Thuringia in 2024 according to crime statistics. Nationwide, the figures are rising in many places. Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl in particular pose a growing risk - with a high risk of overdose. Specialist agencies are therefore calling for, among other things

• access to rapid tests for synthetic opioids,

• more education about safer use and harm reduction measures,

• the expansion of first aid training with naloxone,

• and access to substitution treatment.
  

The event on the Holzmarkt will be jointly supported by a broad Jena network, including:

• Kontaktcafé der Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe - Begegnung Jena e.V.

• Social Psychiatric Service of the City of Jena

• Addiction counseling of SiT gGmbH

• AIDS-Hilfe Weimar & Ostthüringen e.V., Jena advice center

• Street social work Jena-Stadtmitte/West (Drudel 11 e.V.)

• Streetwork Lobeda of the city of Jena

• IKOS Jena - counseling center for self-help

• Project clean4us at Jena University Hospital

• Miraculix

The aim is to educate, destigmatize and make help visible. The network offers support in all life situations - from low-threshold support, advice and therapy to aftercare and self-help. The focus this year is also on the further development of services to minimize risk.

Behind every name is a person. Remembrance Day is a moment to pause for thought - and a call to action.