Blog
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Social Media Changes Needed to Prevent Adolescent Opioid Overdoses
I am devoting this blog to the ongoing effort needed to prevent the use and misuse of opioids and other drugs by our kids, who all too often are getting access to them via social media, and more specifically, Snapchat. This insightful article, “Inside Snapchat’s Teen Opioid Crisis,” details heartbreaking stories of parents losing children to overdoses, as well as their courageous efforts to demand that Snapchat be held accountable.
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Ted Talk on How Isolation Fuels Opioid Addiction
I encourage you to take about 15 minutes to watch this TED Talk given by Rachel Wurzman, a neuroscientist who joined the Dana Foundation, titled, “How Isolation Fuels Opioid Addiction.”
As humans, we all have a fundamental need to be connected to others. Unfortunately, many individuals will turn to opioids when this need is not met. Wurzman, using her expertise in neuroscience, explains how isolation can be a factor in the development of an opioid use disorder, as well as how it can contribute to the ongoing use of opioids or a reoccurrence of use for those in recovery.
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Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Director to Keynote Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Webinar
Tomorrow, Thursday October 3rd at 11 a.m., the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey will welcome Dr. Christopher Jones, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to be the featured speaker of a webinar commemorating Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day. For more than a decade, Jones has been on the front lines of the nation’s fight against the opioid epidemic in leadership positions with various agencies, including the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.