Blog
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Together We Can End The Opioid Crisis
In this week’s blog, we complete the theme of sharing personal stories of those who have been affected by substance use disorder with a personal story from Elaine Pozycki, Chairperson of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ).
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The Disease of Addiction Affects Us All
We continue this month’s theme of sharing personal stories of those who have been affected by substance use disorder. The story below is from Mariel, who is an inspirational example of someone who is in long-term recovery from substance use disorder and an advocate in raising awareness and helping to destigmatize the disease of addiction.
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Let's End the Stigma Associated with Substance Use Disorder
As mentioned in last week, we are dedicating the blog to sharing personal stories of those who have been affected by substance use disorder. The stories are from those who have struggled themselves, as well as those who had loved ones or family members affected by addiction. The story below from Nicola explains her journey and why she wanted to share her story with us.
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Sharing Experiences to Help Raise Awareness of the Dangers of Opioids
For the next 4 weeks we are going to dedicate the blog to sharing personal stories of those who have been affected by substance use disorder. The stories are from those who have struggled themselves, as well as those who had loved ones or family members affected by addiction, including the story below from Katie, who shares her heartache over the loss of her sister.
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Imagine There’s No Stigma
This week’s guest blogger is Celina Levy, Executive Director of the Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. She shares her poignant insights with us about the stigma that is often associated with substance use disorder and how it affects those who struggle, their family members and friends.
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We Must Send a Unified Message About the Dangers of Adolescent Marijuana Use
Marijuana use among adolescents has increased in states in which adult recreational use of marijuana has become legal. A recent study looked at teens in California, Nevada, Massachusetts and Maine and found a connection between legalized adult use and a surge in marijuana use among teens.
The legalization of recreational marijuana could affect how today’s youth perceive the substance. As we are now a few months into New Jersey’s legalization of the recreational use of marijuana, it is important to ensure that today’s youth and their families understand the dangers of marijuana use among adolescents.
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PDFNJ’s Webinars Are a Valuable Resource
The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey’s Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series webinars have been a tremendous success, providing continued learning opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Offering this virtual format has enabled many more participants to gain much needed education and resources about the dangers of opioids. The series has become a valuable resource for New Jersey resident with thousands participating to date.
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A Substance Use & Mental Health Crisis is Unfolding Across New Jersey & the Country
A recent study has revealed that alcohol abuse skyrocketed during the pandemic and alcohol-related deaths increased by 25 percent from 2019 to 2020, jumping from 78,927 deaths to 99,017. Alcohol-related deaths had been rising in recent years but this large jump is a troubling sign of the effects of a mental health and substance use crisis that is unfolding as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Guest Blog: NADDI is a Valuable Resource as the Opioid Epidemic is Surging
This week’s guest blogger, Patricia Richardson, is the National Corresponding Secretary of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI). NADDI is a national training organization working to educate professionals involved in the field of pharmaceutical drug diversion. Patricia is also a commissioned Law Enforcement Officer with the MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency in Wayne County, Ohio – one of the oldest drug task forces in the state of Ohio.
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When It Comes to Substance Use Prevention – Communication is Key
I wanted to share a recent New York Times article, which discusses the deteriorating state of the mental health of today’s youth. I covered this topic in a blog post a few weeks ago. It is both sad and alarming that teens and adolescents are at a crisis point, which if not properly addressed, could lead to a substance use crisis as well.
I wrote a Letter to the Editor for the Star Ledger that further expresses my sentiments.