Blog
-
GUEST BLOG: Promoting Recovery in Our Workplaces as Part of National Recovery Month
As part of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey’s advocacy for National Recovery Month, I offer my congratulations to all individuals who are celebrating their recovery at this time. An important component of the PDFNJ mission is doing all that we can to prevent a reoccurrence of substance use for those in recovery. They are most deserving of our full support.
So, I am happy to have David Martinak contribute to the blog this week. David is the founder of Noble Advocacy, a dedicated champion of recovery and a pivotal force behind the creation of Recovery Friendly New Jersey. David is an advocate and subject matter expert in this field, drawing upon his extensive business background, personal experiences, and active engagement with Recovery-Friendly and Recovery-Ready initiatives across the nation.
-
NJ Rallies for Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day: Communities Unite on October 6
Once again, New Jersey is coming together to tackle the serious problem of opioid use. The ninth annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day is set for Sunday, October 6, and it aims to teach people about the risks of prescription opioids, their link to heroin and fentanyl and effective strategies for preventing their misuse.
-
Horizon Foundation Celebrates 20 Years
I would like to use this blog to congratulate one of PDFNJ’s longest-running partners on an important milestone. The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, which is the philanthropic arm of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, is celebrating 20 years of service to the state of New Jersey.
-
How Language Can Break Down or Create Barriers
Language shapes how we view the world. With substance use disorders, the words we use can either stigmatize or support. Calling someone an "addict" suggests a moral failing, ignoring the complexity of their condition. This can lead to isolation, mental health struggles, and hesitation to seek help. Instead, terms like "person with a substance use disorder" acknowledge their challenges without defining them by their condition.
-
FDA Does Not Approve Use of Ecstasy for Treatment of PTSD
In order to keep you up to date on developments, I am sharing this recent article regarding the Food & Drug Administration’s decision not to approve the use of MDMA (ecstasy) to be combined with therapy as a form of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
-
Doctors Charged as a Result of Matthew Perry’s Fatal Overdose
I am sharing this article, which details charges for those who obtained ketamine for Matthew Perry and injected him with it. Ketamine has been approved by the FDA for treatment-resistant depression and is also sold as an illicit drug.
-
PDFNJ & PSEG Foundation Bring Substance Use Prevention Efforts to the Classroom
In June, I visited Alan B. Shepard Jr. Elementary School in Old Bridge to join the PSEG Foundation in delivering the annual Third Grade Life Choices Coloring and Activity Book to students. This initiative, generously supported by PSEG, helps young people make healthy decisions regarding drugs and alcohol.
-
Impact of Modern Cannabis on Young Users
With the legalization of recreational cannabis in more states, its use is on the rise. The cannabis available today is significantly stronger and potentially more harmful than it used to be, especially for young people.
-
Senators Booker & Braun Introduce Legislation to Increase Access to Care for Opioid Use at Pharmacies
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and Republican Senator Mike Braun of Indiana recently introduced legislation to further enhance efforts already in place to address the opioid crisis. The Substance Use Prevention and Pharmacy Oriented Recovery Treatment Prescription Act (SUPPORT Rx) will provide grant funding for pharmacists to offer medical treatment for opioid use and receive training to treat individuals who have an opioid use disorder. Additionally, funding will allow for tele-behavioral health services and HIPAA-compliant technology so that pharmacists can share their information with other clinicians. To read the full text of the bill, click here
-
Pediatricians Not Adequately Prepared to Address Opioid Use Disorder
As we continue the ongoing effort to address the opioid crisis, I was disappointed to read this nationwide study conducted by Massachusetts General for Children and the Yale School of Medicine that found many pediatricians are unprepared to provide comprehensive support for patients with an opioid use disorder (OUD). While pediatricians are comfortable connecting adolescents to treatment programs, research demonstrated that many pediatricians are not prescribing medications.