Overdrive Defense Launches to Redefine Harm Reduction & Drug Safety
Created by the co-founder of Starface, Julie Care, Futurewise & Blip, this first-of-its-kind lifestyle and CPG brand is committed to destigmatizing the category.
NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Overdrive Defense, a first-of-its-kind lifestyle and CPG brand for harm reduction and drug safety, launches with the mission to destigmatize the harm reduction and drug safety category, and lower the frequency of drug poisonings and deaths. The brand’s first line of defense against overdoses, the Fentanyl Test Kit, is now available online, offering highly sensitive detection of fentanyl—a powerful synthetic opioid—that is often secretly blended into substances and can be lethal even in small doses.
Overdose deaths continue to devastate the U.S., with over 112,000 in 2023 alone, and fentanyl poisoning is now the leading cause of drug-related deaths. It was thought that access to existing harm reduction tools was the issue, however, when naloxone became available over the counter, the market did not grow. Naloxone should be as ubiquitous a safety item as a fire extinguisher or defibrillator. Overdrive proposes the thesis that a clinical marketing approach or pushing abstinence will never change the minds or behaviors of those who use drugs, but these tools can help save lives. They are taking an entirely new approach to the category by creating a content-first (product second) lifestyle brand that creates culturally relevant, high-energy content and partnerships while spotlighting authentic voices to build community and trust, to spur safer drug use and partying.
Overdrive is founded by brand-building expert Brian Bordainick who created paradigm-shifting companies from the ground up, offering optimistic solutions for the next generation, including Starface, Julie, Futurewise and Blip. To bring Overdrive’s entertainment and creative to life, Bordainick brought on Ryan Weaver, as Executive Producer and Creative & Brand Lead. Ryan produced documentaries for Netflix and MAX and recently worked with Bordainick as head of production at Julie. He also contributed to the vertical integration of content and owned CPC brands for digital creators like Full Send & Sunday Studios, launching product categories including hard goods and clothing.
“Fentanyl is one of the biggest threats facing this generation. I started Overdrive to break down barriers in this space and tackle the crisis head-on,” said Bordainick. “Harm reduction is a compassionate, rational and critical approach to human behavior. To raise awareness about life-saving resources and products that can change habits, we built a brand focused on connecting with the community and approaching the issue in a new way.”
Overdrive’s Fentanyl Test Kit ($12.99 for 5 pack)
The Fentanyl Test Kit offers peace of mind by ensuring users always know what battlefield they’re stepping into. Overdrive’s fentanyl test strips help mitigate the risk of overdose and potential deaths by detecting fentanyl with high reliability and specificity. Dr. Alan Wu, Chief of the Clinical Chemistry and Toxicology Lab at UCSF tested Overdrive’s strips against competitors to confirm they are among the most sensitive on the market with 99% accuracy at 15 ng/ml as compared to other tests which range from 20-200 ng/ml or don’t list their sensitivity at all. The kits include 1mL of purified water to dilute substances for testing, which ensures they’re usable in all environments – especially situations where accessing water is difficult.
Each kit includes:
- 5 Test Strips (each has a 15ng/mL detection threshold)
- 5 Water Pouches (1mL of purified water, to dilute substances for testing)
- 5 Mini Spoons (each 10 mg spoon ensures precise dosage of drugs in powder form)
“The existing harm reduction solutions can make people uncomfortable because they look and feel clinical,” Weaver said. “We’re taking a similar approach to safe sex and condom marketing in the 80s and 90s—yes, abstinence is the safest but it’s not sex, which is what people want, they just want it without the threat of dying because of it. Same principles apply to safer drug use. So why not make and market drug safety tools people actually feel acknowledged by and great about using? At Overdrive, we’re starting by connecting with people through high-energy entertainment and partnerships in an attempt to shift the way they think and act in the harm reduction space.”
Overdrive is structured more like an entertainment company than a CPG brand. Content began rolling out in February 2023, well before the commercial launch to build an audience and more importantly, develop content partnerships, which are as vital to the organization as the product itself. Overdrive works with DJs, comedians, motocross and skate athletes such as canablissss, Carter Cruise, Boo Johnson and Alex Sucks.
As a first mover in the space, the issues Overdrive is tackling are complex, and Overdrive is committed to making a meaningful impact. In addition to product donations to community-based organizations nationwide, Overdrive will donate 1% of net revenue to partner organizations working on harm reduction efforts on the ground in local communities. Overdrive’s first partners are End Overdose, a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles working to end drug-related overdose deaths, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, the National Harm Reduction Coalition and Pennsylvania Harm Reduction Network. Overdrive is also setting aside at least 3% of the equity ownership of the company to support social impact efforts that tackle drug overdoses and will expand in the future to support additional organizations related to the brand’s mission.
Overdrive’s life-saving Fentanyl Test Kit is available to shop direct-to-consumer at overdrivedefense.com and on Amazon.
About Overdrive Defense
Overdrive Defense is a first-of-its-kind lifestyle and CPG brand for harm reduction and drug safety, committed to destigmatizing the highly sensitive category and lowering the frequency of drug poisonings and deaths. With hardcore safety tools for hardcore lifestyles, coupled with bold and energetic content, Overdrive is addressing the needs of the unique category to spur safer drug use and partying. To learn more about Overdrive and join the community, visit overdrivedefense.com and follow the brand on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Media Contact
Serene Mansour (Derris)
Overdrive@derris.com
949.444.9933
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