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  • Veterans Day

    Posted 11/8/2023 by Angelo M. Valente

    I want to take a moment to acknowledge the service to our country by our veterans and extend them a special thank you on Saturday, November 11, when the nation observes Veterans Day. We take this time to honor our veterans for their devotion, their willingness to serve and for the sacrifices they made for our country. This tradition is well over a hundred years old. 

  • American Medicine Chest Challenge National Day of Awareness

    Posted 11/1/2023 by Angelo M. Valente

    Saturday, November 11, is the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey’s (PDFNJ) 15th Annual American Medicine Chest Challenge National Day of Awareness. A national public health initiative to educate the public about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and encourage the safe disposal of prescription drugs through the American Medicine Chest 5-Step Challenge (AMCC).

     

    The AMCC 5-step challenge can help save the lives of our children. We know that many teens who misuse opioids get them from the medicine cabinet of their friends and families, so it is crucial for people to safeguard medicine within their homes.

  • Improved Access to Fentanyl Test Strips Will Save Lives

    Posted 10/25/2023 by Angelo M. Valente

    Senator Cory Booker announced plans to increase the availability of fentanyl test strips throughout the nation in the midst of the opioid crisis. He spoke about the need to provide better access to the strips, which can detect deadly fentanyl in other drugs, at a press conference attended by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey at New Bridge Medical Center in Bergen County on Friday, August 25.

  • NJ High School Music Competition Now Open!

    Posted 10/18/2023 by Angelo M. Valente

    I am so pleased to share with you the launch of our 20th year of competition for the Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs New Jersey music competition. Below is information on the competition and I hope you will share with the high school students in your life.

    All the best, 
    Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of PDFNJ

  • Refined Approach Successful in Treating Infants Exposed to Opioids

    Posted 10/11/2023 by Angelo M. Valente

    A sad result of the national opioid crisis is the impact being felt by newborns. The United States has seen a large increase in the number of infants born with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS).  Symptoms for NOWS include tremors, excessive crying and irritability, as well as problems with sleeping and eating. As the number of maternal opioid-related diagnoses increased by 131 percent between 2010 and 2017, the number of newborns experiencing NOWS rose by about 82 percent during that same period according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

  • This Friday is Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day in NJ!

    Posted 10/4/2023 by Angelo M. Valente

    Throughout the last few months, I have shared with you about the upcoming Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day -- and October 6th is just days away. This day is an opportunity to shine a light on the evolving opioid crisis, help reduce stigma, show support for those in recovery, and share information and resources in our schools, families, workplaces, and communities.

  • The Evolving Opioid Crisis

    Posted 9/27/2023 by Angelo M. Valente

    We are 10 days away from Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day in New Jersey and as we prepare to commemorate our 8th Annual Day of Awareness and Education I am so gratified by how many NJ residents, business owners, clergy, students, and government officials have signed on to help share resources and information in their communities. 

  • 30% of Families Have Loved One with an Opioid Use Disorder

    Posted 9/20/2023 by Angelo M. Valente

    A recent survey reported by the Partnership to End Addiction shows how pervasive the opioid crisis is in our country.  According to the survey, almost 30 percent of families in the United States has a family member currently dealing with or who has died as a result of an opioid use disorder. More than 1,500 overdose deaths have occurred in New Jersey so far this year.

  • Celebrating National Recovery Month

    Posted 9/13/2023 by Angelo M. Valente

    I want to take a moment to acknowledge all individuals who are in recovery, whether it is a celebration of decades, several years, a few months or even if this is your first day. Among the more than 22 million Americans on the road of recovery are members of our families, our friends, our neighbors and our co-workers.

  • We Are One Month Away From Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day

    Posted 9/6/2023 by Angelo M. Valente

    The eighth annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day is coming up in just one month on October 6! The statewide initiative is a way for all of us to share information that can help save lives. Last year, thousands of New Jersey residents came together virtually through social and traditional media to share messages by sending an email to friends and family, posting on social media or handing out information in their school of community.  

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