Blog
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Rowan Town Hall a 2025 Highlight for Knock Out Opioid Abuse Initiative
One of the most impactful moments of 2025 for the Knock Out Opioid Abuse initiative happened on April 29 at Rowan University, where nearly 300 high school student-athletes came together for an important conversation about the risks of prescription opioid misuse.
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Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all the things we are thankful for. I would like to take a moment to thank all of you for your continued support of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and wish you a healthy and safe Thanksgiving surrounded by family, friends and those who matter most.
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Broadway, Bars, and Fortune: A Story of Redemption Through Theater
For over a decade, Dr. Shuvendu Sen has been a partner in PDFNJ’s efforts to address the opioid crisis and promote safe prescribing, prevention, and recovery throughout New Jersey. Through lectures, advocacy, and community outreach, he has shared his expertise and passion for helping those affected by addiction. His latest project expands that commitment into a new medium: the short documentary Broadway, Bars and Fortune.
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Guest Blog: Healthy Habits for Lifelong Wellness: Everyday Choices That Matter
Today’s guest blog comes from Shebah Carfagna, founder of Panache Fitness and an AARP-sponsored fitness expert. She led movement and mindfulness breaks at the” NJ Healthy Aging Summit: Opioid Safety & Alternatives,”, held on September 26. The summit brought together experts and community members to focus on safer, more holistic approaches to managing pain in older adults. As the opioid crisis continues to affect New Jersey communities, the event emphasized the importance of non-opioid strategies, including exercise, movement, and mindfulness, for promoting healthy aging and reducing reliance on prescription pain medications.
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Join the American Medicine Chest Challenge This Saturday
This Saturday, November 8, communities across New Jersey will join others nationwide in participating in the 17th Annual American Medicine Chest Challenge, a public health initiative aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and encouraging safe disposal practices.
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Mobilize Recovery Comes to Rutgers: A Moment to Celebrate and Support Recovery on Campus
Recovery deserves to be seen, supported, and celebrated. That’s why we’re excited to share that Mobilize Recovery’s Campus Surge 2025 is coming to Rutgers University–New Brunswick on Monday, November 3. This national initiative is focused on empowering college communities to take action around substance use and mental health, and this event is a powerful example of what recovery advocacy can look like on campus.
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Calling All Fourth Grade Artists!
The new school year has begun, and that means PDFNJ's “Fun Things to Do Instead of Drugs” contest is returning. Each year, we invite fourth-grade students from across New Jersey to create artwork that promotes drug-free choices and inspires others to do the same.
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Guest Blog: The Story Behind Healing a Beautiful Broken Mind
In 2020, Life Center Stage faced the challenge of holding our annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day event in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our executive director, Vicky Mulligan, suggested that, since we could not have an in-person event, we should instead create a documentary highlighting how the arts can support recovery and healing.
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Carrying the Momentum Forward After Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day
From local businesses and schools to law enforcement and community coalitions, thousands of New Jersey residents came together on Monday to share resources and save lives on Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day.
This annual day of unity highlighted the strength of our state when we work together to protect one another. It is through prevention, education, and compassion that we continue to make a difference in the fight against the opioid epidemic.
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Piscataway Teen’s Candlelight Vigil Brings Overdose Awareness Home
A recent TAPinto Piscataway article highlighted the efforts of local teen activist Tanvi Narava, who organized a candlelight vigil at Columbus Park Extension on August 7 to mark International Overdose Awareness Day. Dozens of community members came together for the event, where Tanvi, a 2025 Piscataway High School graduate, planted 45 white flags to represent overdose deaths in the township from 2019 to 2024, along with 200 purple flags to symbolize the total overdoses during that time.