The leading cause of death in America between ages 18-45 is fentanyl overdose. Living in a society that stigmatizes the need for education and resources to curb this epidemic is what led Theo Krzywicki, CEO of Californian nonprofit organization End Overdose, to act and create this life-saving organization. Providing education and resources to prevent overdose across the United States, End Overdose have only just begun their never-ending campaign to spread awareness.
When was the moment in your life when you knew there needed to be an organization such as End Overdose in the world?
The lack of accessible resources, the stigma, and the silence surrounding overdose prevention. It felt as though there were no lifelines, no clear answers, and no straightforward way for people to equip themselves to save a life. My own experience with overdose, and the loss of close loved ones, propelled me to create something. I realized that if we could provide people with accessible, stigma-free education and medication, we could empower them to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening to others. I saw that there was a crucial need for an organization that focused solely on overdose prevention—one that approached it from a place of compassion, accessibility, and practicality, rather than judgment. That vision became End Overdose, and it drives our mission every day: to create a world where everyone has the resources to respond to an overdose and where fewer lives are lost.
How does End Overdose go about the development of content for the training courses offered on your website such as “Opioid Overdose” with “Stimulant Emergency” and “Overdose Response Trainer” coming soon?
We work closely with medical experts—doctors, nurses, and teams like Prevent Medical EMS, which has over 480 professionals—drawing from standards set by national agencies and their guidelines. Each course, such as our upcoming “Stimulant Emergency” module, focuses on what non-medical individuals can do in critical moments. This includes understanding when a situation is an emergency, which can make a life-saving difference.
For example, in cases involving poppers or amyl nitrate, it’s crucial to know that misuse can lead to Methemoglobinemia (MetHb)—a condition where red blood cells can’t carry oxygen, resulting in hypoxia and potentially death. Many are unaware that if someone drinks an entire bottle of poppers while intoxicated, they need immediate medical attention. For more info on cells as well as bone marrow MSCs, then make sure to click the link to know more. By educating on symptoms and potential outcomes, we empower people to act quickly and save lives, turning awareness into action when it matters most.
What are the necessary steps one must take to become an overdose trainer?
To become an Overdose Trainer with End Overdose, there’s a structured onboarding process designed to ensure you’re fully prepared. First, you must complete our online training program and submit an application. Based on your application and a video review, we select candidates to proceed with our onboarding process. During onboarding, we train you to provide overdose response trainings tailored to different settings—whether brief sessions at events or more in-depth 30–40-minute sessions for organizations, treatment centers, and similar environments. This process focuses on building your competency in overdose identification and prevention, naloxone administration, and rescue breathing. People can apply here.
End Overdose dono’t support a particular stance on issues such as politics, religion, or broader drug reform. You’re remaining solely dedicated to the mission of preventing overdoses and saving lives, which is what this world needs. What would you say to those out there that assume you align with a particular ideology?
It’s about unity. The country is more divided than ever. We’re working toward a vision where overdose response training is universally accepted and accessible as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) Training. CPR isn’t stigmatized; it’s a life-saving skill that teaches people to respond to cardiac emergencies without controversy or division—and it has no political stance. With over 100,000 lives lost annually to overdose, we believe it’s essential to tackle this crisis with the same determination that made CPR training widely adopted. By focusing on making overdose response training routine, accessible, and essential. We will create a world where overdose responses are universally valued, uncontroversial, and lifesaving.
We recognize and value the work of countless organizations addressing vital social issues. However, we also see the risks in grouping every social issue under one umbrella. Over 100k people are dying a year. Overdose prevention already faces significant stigma and combining it with other complex social issues adds more layers of stigma and division, each with its unique set of challenges. As a national organization, we are mindful of the diverse perspectives across the country, and taking a stance beyond our mission could risk alienating those who might otherwise support or benefit from our work.
Overdose prevention is a cause almost everyone can agree on. Most people, regardless of background, can see that the overdose crisis has reached intolerable levels and that accidental overdose deaths shouldn’t be happening. Our message is simple and direct: we have naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, and educational resources that can save lives immediately. Our goal is straightforward: to make these resources accessible to everyone at risk, training individuals and organizations alike in their use. As we grow, we’ll expand our scope to cover prevention and response for a range of overdoses, educating people on recognizing and addressing these situations effectively.
In the same vein, what do you say to people who assume you’re condoning drug use by providing resources to help end overdoses and save lives?
When people assume we’re condoning drug use by providing overdose prevention resources, I’d say that’s a misunderstanding of our mission. As a firefighter, when someone’s house is on fire, I don’t stop to judge them or question what led to the blaze. I don’t consider whether they failed to update their wiring or if they neglected to clean their attic properly—I put the fire out. My job is to save lives and protect people, not to moralize.
Right now, thousands of people are dying from overdoses. It’s not hypothetical, and it’s not something that might happen—it’s happening every day. It’s the leading cause of death for 18–45-year-olds. For us, our purpose is clear: to prevent these unnecessary deaths. We provide people with the tools, knowledge, and resources to respond in critical moments, this is about ending overdose fatalities, not making statements on drug use. We’re here to save lives, plain and simple. Whether or not someone chooses to use drugs, everyone deserves the chance to survive an overdose and the opportunity to save someone they care about for a better future.
A huge portion of the ethos at End Overdose is to provide accessible and digestible resources to the youth of today who are most effected by this epidemic. How have you measured that success and how have you adapted over time to continue making such resources?
Our approach begins with listening sessions and understanding how people want to be educated about overdose prevention. Through surveys, feedback from training sessions, and collaboration with our 50+ chapters nationwide (47 at colleges), we gather insights that shape and refine our approach. This feedback loop keeps our resources relevant, approachable, and impactful.
We also measure success through social media engagement, where our target audience is most active. Metrics like views, shares, comments, and direct messages give us real-time insight into how well we resonate with young people. Beyond online engagement, we track the impact through the number of individuals trained, naloxone kits distributed, and lives saved—validated by reports from individuals and organizations who have used our training in real situations.
We also measure demand. For instance, we received 144 applications to start new chapters this year, but we could only accept 20. Then we review and adapt this has led us to expanding our focus to include various types of overdoses, integrating digital education formats, and designing interactive e-trainings tailored to a younger audience. Our training is increasingly interactive and visual, breaking down complex topics into straightforward, stigma-free language.
You’ve partnered with Johnny HEALTH for not only the numerous marketing campaigns and distributing naloxone kits at their tour stops, but he’s the face of your end of year fundraiser. How did this relationship with Johnny come about and what made him be the perfect candidate for this partnership with End Overdose?
First off, Johnny rules. Thank you for everything, Johnny! Our partnership with Johnny from HEALTH began about two years ago when we were connected through a company called RESTLESSNITES. They sponsored our first-ever fundraiser, a show called, No One Else Has to Die, and Johnny played a memorable set as Death Minus. They even took naloxone kits on tour and made them available. Johnny has done so much for us, and we can’t thank him or HEALTH enough. Whether its content or collaborating on a free “Health Pack”—which is a free reward if you take our online training—he’s been a steadfast supporter of End Overdose, always showing up for us with creativity, humor, and an unwavering dedication to our mission. His influence and authentic commitment to our cause make him the perfect face for our end-of-year fundraiser, we’re also thrilled to announce an upcoming blog, HEALTH on HEALTH, where Johnny will share his insights in an advice column.
Being one of the largest activist groups out there spreading awareness and handing out lifesaving resources on this epidemic, what has been the biggest challenge End Overdose has faced as a non-profit organization?
One of the biggest challenges we face as a nonprofit is navigating the complex layers of stigma and politics surrounding overdose prevention, which is part of the reason why we stay apolitical. Despite the clear life-saving potential of our work, overdose prevention remains a heavily stigmatized topic, impacting on our ability to secure funding, build partnerships, and reach the people who need our resources most.
On top of the external stigma, we face challenges within this space itself. This is a unique field where public health intersects with deeply entrenched perspectives. Our relatively fast growth and increasing visibility have, unfortunately, been met with hostility from some established groups who may feel threatened by our approach. Personally, I’ve been doxed, and some of our volunteers have faced threats, all stemming from the intense politics and emotions woven into this space. We walk a fine line between the external stigma and internal resistance, particularly from traditionalists and institutions who have been doing things their way for decades. Our efforts to innovate and meet current needs are sometimes seen as disruptive, even though our goal is simply to bring life-saving tools and education to people where they are today.
Another challenge is meeting the overwhelming demand. The need for overdose prevention resources is immense, and our growth has been rapid. Just this year, we received 144 applications to start new chapters, but we could only accept 20. Scaling up while maintaining high standards in our programs, outreach, and training requires constant adaptation and resourcefulness. However, each challenge only reinforces our commitment to making overdose response training as accessible and accepted as CPR. Our vision of providing lifesaving, unbiased education in overdose prevention keeps us moving forward, regardless of the obstacles.
What are common misconceptions about End Overdose?
One major misconception is that by providing overdose prevention resources, we condone or promote drug use. This is far from our purpose, our mission is to save lives, not to endorse any behavior. We believe that everyone, no matter what their choices, deserves access to resources that can prevent overdose and offer a chance. Another misconception is that we’re tied to specific political or social agendas. In truth, End Overdose is a strictly nonpartisan organization, focused solely on reducing overdose fatalities through accessible education and support. Our goal is to make overdose response training as universally accepted and as accessible as CPR—free from any divisive issues or agendas. And focus on unity around the urgent need for overdose prevention and response education, ensuring that our resources are available to anyone who needs them, regardless of background or beliefs.
What has been the most compelling piece of data you’ve found in the last year that helped drive a strategic decision for End Overdose?
One of the most compelling pieces of data we’ve encountered this year is the stark ratio of nonfatal to fatal overdoses, which in some states is as high as 7 to 1. This means that for every fatal overdose, there are seven nonfatal overdoses—a ratio that paints a clear picture of the potential risk ahead. Nonfatal overdoses are not only traumatic events but also significant predictors of future fatal incidents if interventions aren’t made. This data has driven home the importance of our mission and shaped our strategic decisions moving forward. As a result, we’ve intensified our commitment to providing naloxone distribution, overdose response training, and broader educational efforts across at-risk communities. This data reinforces that if we don’t continue and expand these life-saving efforts, we may see a dramatic rise in overdose deaths.
End Overdose was recently at the White House for their White House Challenge to Save Lives. What was the biggest takeaway for End Overdose at that event?
We can achieve more together than we can alone. One of our biggest takeaways was the powerful potential of collaboration across diverse sectors. The event brought together leaders from government, private companies, nonprofits, healthcare, and community organizations, all with a shared goal: to reduce overdose deaths through innovative and unified efforts. In the same room you had representatives that would never be in the same room otherwise, showing how overdose affects everyone from all walks of life and how important collaboration is.
What are some initiatives that End Overdose is planning for the remainder of the 2024 and the start of 2025?
For the remainder of the year and into next year, End Overdose has several pivotal initiatives underway to strengthen our mission. We’re creating new overdose response trainings that cover a wider range of emergencies, ensuring that people are equipped to handle various overdose situations. Additionally, we’re focused on expanding our chapter program, which has seen overwhelming demand as more communities seek to establish local networks to support overdose prevention.
We’re also launching a workforce development training initiative to equip individuals with skills for careers in prevention, public health, and overdose response. This program aims to create a pool of trained professionals who are ready to make an impact in their communities. Additionally, we’re laying the groundwork for a high school chapter program to extend our reach to younger audiences and empower students with life-saving knowledge. And! In a new and exciting development, we’ve created an interactive e-training program that can be played on a touch screen and provides certification upon completion. We’re working to place these e-training units in dispensaries and other businesses, making overdose response education more widely available.
Being someone who has personally lost friends through fentanyl overdose, your digital commemoration wall in the ‘Garden’ section of your website hits home and illuminates the reality of this epidemic. What are encouraging words of advice you’d like to share with people who have lost loved ones to overdose?
The love you have for someone can be transformed into something that creates lasting change. Losing a loved one is devastatingly painful. It sucks. But it can be a catalyst, there is an opportunity to focus on your heart and transform your grief into action. A sliver of inspiration goes along way, let that person you lost guide you.
Learn more about End Overdose at their website..
Photo courtesy of Instagram
