^{Statewide Day of Prevention, Education and Awareness Designated by Governor Murphy}

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 31, 2021
Contacts: Natalie Golub, 973-382-4560, natalie@drugfreenj.org

MILLBURN — Thousands of New Jersey residents will be coming together virtually to make a stand against the opioid epidemic on October 6, for the state’s 6^th Annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day.

Designated as a permanent day of prevention education and awareness, Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day is designed to shine a light on the opioid crisis impacting thousands of New Jersey residents and families. In 2020, more than 3,000 people in New Jersey died of a drug overdose, a majority of which involved some form of opioid. From January to June 2021, there were 5,568 naloxone administrations to reverse opioid overdoses and 1,626 suspected overdose deaths.

“The goal is to raise awareness of the link between prescribed opioids and heroin and fentanyl overdoses and deaths in our state, to reduce stigma of the disease of addiction and to encourage support for those in recovery from substance use disorder,” explained Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.

“I encourage all New Jerseyans to visit the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day website to learn more about what you can do to educate New Jersey residents and your community about the dangers associated with opioids,” Valente said. “Taking a few moments to spread these important messages of awareness and prevention can help to save a life.”

To learn more about Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day, visit knockoutday.drugfreenj.org; view the Training Webinar to learn how to get involved; explore the toolkit for sharable messages; and sign up for this year’s Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series Webinar, “How You Can Help Fight the Opioid Epidemic,” at 11 a.m. Wednesday, October 6, featuring keynote speaker Jamie Mells, PhD, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Public Health Service Overdose Data to Action Coordinator, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

In its sixth year, Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day in New Jersey is a statewide project created by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey; the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services; and the Community Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Morris, with help from partners across the state.

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The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit whose mission is to educate New Jerseyans, especially young people, about substance use prevention. The Partnership’s public service advertising campaign is the largest in New Jersey history, earning 190 awards and more than $200 million donated in print space and broadcast time.