Blog
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Better Tracking of Nitazene Needed to Fight Overdoses
In a blog I wrote last month, I noted the rising use of nitazenes, a synthetic opioid up to 43 times stronger than fentanyl. We now realize a comprehensive effort is needed to address this new and growing reality in the opioid crisis. In a recent article, Dr. Shravani Durbhakula, an anesthesiologist and pain medicine physician, identifies the need to improve tracking of overdose deaths caused by nitazene use.
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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.
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Warm Wishes for the Holiday Season!
All of us at the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey would like to wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy Hannukah & Kwanza. We extend our warmest wishes for a peaceful and joyous holiday season!
Continued wishes to stay safe and well.
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Are You - or Do You Know - a Talented Teen Musician?
PDFNJ is inviting high school students across the state to use their creativity to make a difference. The 2026 Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs New Jersey competition is now accepting entries, and teens are invited to write and perform original songs about the risks of substance use.
Entries are open through February 1, 2026. Full details are available at shoutdowndrugs.com
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Nitazenes: A Deadly New Threat in the Opioid Crisis
A recent People magazine story on nitazenes, a synthetic opioid up to 43 times stronger than fentanyl, is a sobering reminder of the dangers our communities face. This emerging threat has already claimed lives, including 22-year-old Lucci Reyes-McCallister and 21-year-old Hunter Clement, who were profiled in the article. They thought they were taking legitimate prescription pills, but the pills were laced with nitazenes. Even multiple doses of naloxone could not reverse its deadly effects. With its extreme potency and the fact that it is often undetectable in routine drug tests, nitazenes represents a new and dangerous chapter in the opioid crisis.
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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.