Blog
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NJ High School Music Competition Now Open!
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
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.
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This Friday is Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day in NJ!
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.
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The Evolving Opioid Crisis
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.
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30% of Families Have Loved One with an Opioid Use Disorder
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.
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Celebrating National Recovery Month
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.
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We Are One Month Away From Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day
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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Tomorrow is International Overdose Awareness Day
Please take a moment to remember all of those lost to overdose and the families, friends, and communities who mourn them.
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FTC Targets THC Products Resembling Snack Foods
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) working with the Federal Drug Administration (FTC) recently sent letters to six companies, including one from New Jersey, demanding they cease and desist in “their marketing of edible products containing Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in packaging that is almost identical to many snacks and candy children eat, including Doritos tortilla chips, Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, and Nerds candy.” Delta-8 THC has psychoactive and intoxicating effects, similar to delta-9 THC (i.e., the component responsible for the “high” people may experience from using cannabis). Use of Delta-8 THC can result in hallucinations, vomiting, tremor, anxiety, dizziness, confusion and loss of consciousness.
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NJ Pharmacies Offering Overdose Antidote Free and Anonymously
We at the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey were uplifted to see the number of overdose deaths due to opioid use decline last year. Based on the data so far, that downward trend will continue for this year. Despite this good news, we fully recognize the loss of one life is tragic in itself. In an effort to address the crisis, the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) has launched StopOverdoses.nj.gov, where residents can find pharmacies offering life-saving naloxone anonymously and at no cost.