Blog
-
The Opioid Epidemic Affects Us All
Opioid-related overdose deaths among adults 55 and older in the United States rose tenfold between 1999 and 2019. according to a new study.
During those two decades much of the increase was driven by a rise in opioid overdose deaths among adults 55 and older across the country. Opioid overdose deaths in that age group increased from 518 in 1999 to 10,292 in 2019, a 1,886 percent increase.
-
Guest Blog: Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs Music Competition Uses Music to Inspire People
Music is a powerful tool that can be used to influence, inspire and sway people. In this week’s blog, we hear from Christina Trombino, President & Founder of Love More for Julius, a non-profit organization that strives to use the healing powers of music to prevent substance use and help support those with a substance use disorder.
-
PDFNJ and NJ CARES to Launch 2022 Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series
I am excited to share with you that the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and the Office of the New Jersey Coordinator of Addiction Responses and Enforcement Strategies (NJ CARES), which is responsible for overseeing addiction-fighting efforts across the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, will continue their collaboration on the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series in 2022.
-
How You Can Help To Fight The Opioid Epidemic in 2022
I wanted to share a recent Washington Post article that highlights Congressman David Trone and all of his commendable work to help prevent opioid addiction across the country.
Congressman Trone was one of the co-sponsors of the bipartisan Opioid Patients’ Right to Know Act, aimed at preventing opioid addiction based on the success of the New Jersey Patient Notification Act.
-
Guest Blog: Madison Chatham Coalition Teen Task Force Launches Alcohol Prevention Campaign in Partnership with Chatham High School
The Teen Task Force, the youth prevention arm of the Madison Chatham Coalition, has been very busy this past month! The teens launched their first prevention initiative of the school year at Chatham High School and were able to see all of their hard work and planning come to fruition at the Homecoming Dance on Monday, November 1.
After deciding that Homecoming was a great platform for sharing alcohol prevention messaging, the eight Teen Task Force members got to work on narrowing several options down. They discussed their ideas at weekly Task Force meetings before landing on one. The Coalition would provide a Hershey's Bar favor to students in attendance at the dance. The bars would have one of four different alcohol stats and facts. The teens wanted a few different facts in an effort to stimulate conversation amongst students. They researched four facts that they thought were the most impactful and helped to design the wrapper.
-
Happy New Year!
All of us at the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey want to wish you a safe, healthy and peaceful New Year.
All the best for 2022,
Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of PDFNJ -
Seasons Greetings!
All of us at the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey would like to wish you Merry Christmas and extend our warmest wishes for a peaceful and joyous holiday season!
Continued wishes to stay safe and well.
-
Overdose Deaths Reach An All-Time High
The CDC recently reported that drug overdose deaths in the United States topped 100,000 annually for the first time during the 12-month period ending in April 2021. I read about these statistics in a New York Times article and followed up with a Letter to the Editor. While most states saw an upward trend, New Jersey was one of three states that did not.
-
Guest Blog: The Opioid Epidemic is Surging as the Pandemic Drags On
I wanted to share this important article written by Elaine Pozycki, Chair of PDFNJ. She is also the founder of Prevent Opioid Abuse - a national organization working to educate patients and parents about the risks of opioid-based pain relievers and the availability of non-opioid alternatives.
I share her sentiments about the opioid epidemic in our state. It is more important than ever that we act to help raise awareness about the dangers of opioids.
All the best,
Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of PDFNJ -
Vaping Marijuana Among Teens is at an All-Time High
A recent NJ.com article shared a study finding that the number of teens in America who vape marijuana has doubled in recent years, and there is evidence that they prefer using infused oil that can deliver a much stronger high.
Medical and adolescent mental health experts in New Jersey who reviewed the study say this trend must be combatted with a clear message, taught in school and inscribed on packaging labels, emphasizing how marijuana harms the developing brain. I strongly share this concern.