It’s hard to believe, but tonight the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey will be hosting the final countywide town hall of the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall Series at The College of New Jersey in Mercer County.

This series, supported by a grant from the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, began in April 2017 and after tonight will have engaged residents from all 21 counties in the state of New Jersey.

The Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Halls have been a valuable tool for developing a better understanding of the opioid epidemic and its impact on every community in our state. The series has also discovered best practices at the local level which are currently being replicated throughout the state.

Town hall attendees have become better informed about the opioid crisis. 97% of participants responded that they learned new information or facts about the prevalence of opioid abuse in their community by attending a town hall. Educating New Jersey residents about the risks associated with opioids is a key starting point for addressing this issue.

More importantly, those who have attended town halls have expressed their intention to take action in the fight against the opioid epidemic. Over 85% of town hall participants said they were likely to take steps, such as disposing of unused medications, asking questions when prescribed opioids by a doctor, or having conversations with others on what can be done to prevent opioid misuse.

Please join tonight’s conversation on the opioid epidemic in Mercer County at 6:30 at The College of New Jersey and be a part of the solution to this epidemic.

This first phase of the PDFNJ/Horizon Foundation for New Jersey’s Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Halls may be concluding, however the hard work and effort necessary to overcome the opioid epidemic continues.