FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 25, 2023
Contacts: Lisa Batitto, news@drugfreenj.org

Communities Across New Jersey Rally
 for Eighth Annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day
 

MILLBURN, NJ — In an ongoing effort to curb the opioid epidemic’s impact on their state, New Jerseyans united for the eighth annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day on Friday, October 6. Led by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, this initiative shed light on the risks associated with prescription opioids and offered effective strategies for preventing their misuse.

Vital information was disseminated to healthcare professionals, community leaders, and families. Counties customized their activities and initiatives to address the specific needs of their residents.

In Somerset County, the Board of Commissioners and Community In Crisis partnered with PDFNJ to proclaim Oct. 6t as Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day to help raise awareness about the state’s drug dependency epidemic.

“Somerset County is working hard to provide our communities with the help they need in recovering from the national opioid abuse crisis,” said Somerset County Director Shanel Y. Robinson. “Our Human Services Department is hosting ‘stigma-free’ conferences; we hired a behavioral health navigator, launched a mobile outreach van, and have funded social workers to work alongside our municipal police departments. We appreciate Drug-Free New Jersey’s help in bringing attention to this terrible epidemic and shining a light on resources available to our communities.”

In 2022, drug overdoses claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 New Jersey residents, with opioids playing a significant role in most of these fatalities. This crisis has cast a long shadow, driven by the use of substances including heroin, prescription opioids, and the synthetic opioid, fentanyl.

Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, stressed the importance of the day.

“The continued commitment and collaboration of communities, organizations, and leaders across New Jersey serve as a beacon of hope in the battle against this epidemic. We are determined to knock out opioid use and pave the way for healthier, safer neighborhoods,” he said.

Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day is held in partnership with key organizations, including the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services; and the Community Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Morris.

For resources and further information about Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day, visit knockoutday.drugfreenj.org.

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Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 226 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.