If you are still having trouble believing that our state is currently dealing with a substance abuse issue at an epidemic level, then consider this article from NJ.com.
Many parents worry, and rightfully so, about their children on the road. But as of this year, the more pressing concern is substance abuse. Overdoses have now surpassed motor vehicle accidents for the number one cause of accidental death in New Jersey. According to the article the number of overdoses in our state alone have gone up a staggering 225%, and it comes as no surprise the culprit behind this increase is opioid abuse, which claims about 2 innocent lives everyday.
We applaud the efforts of the community and statewide groups, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the New Jersey Division Highway Traffic Safety, who have fought to raise awareness of unsafe driving in New Jersey. This is a clear showing that their efforts are effective. While we need to continue the efforts to make sure that our roads are safe, we need to also expand our efforts in substance abuse education and prevention programs throughout New Jersey.
There are some 800,000 people in the state who are dealing with substance abuse. It’s clear that this problem affects everyone, across all demographic lines. The sad thing is that many of these deaths are preventable. Strong parent involvement and healthy communication can drastically reduce the amount of overdoses we are seeing. But we also need to safeguard our homes. Get rid of your unused, unwanted, and expired medicines and prevent them for ending up on the streets.
We’re not defenseless in this struggle. There are simple steps we can all take to keep our children. But the most important is talking to your kids and making sure they understand the dangers of opioid abuse. Overdose might be the number one leading cause of accidental death in New Jersey, but your children don’t have to succumb to this deadly trend
Our friends at the New Jersey Chapter of the American Correctional Association are having a conference on April 22nd at the National Conference Center at the Holiday Inn at East Windsor called “Gangs: Research, Trends and Interventions. Check out their website for more information!