FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  March 20, 2025
Contacts: Lisa Batitto, news@drugfreenj.org

Knock Out Opioid Abuse Initiative with Former NFL Quarterback Ray Lucas Continues at Seneca High School
 

Tabernacle, NJ — Student-athletes at Seneca High School will receive crucial education on the risks of prescription opioids from a quarterback with first-hand knowledge of their devastating impact.

Former NFL player and New Jersey native Ray Lucas will headline a program at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1, at Seneca High School, 110 Carranza Rd, Tabernacle. The event is part of the Knock Out Opioid Abuse initiative, organized by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, in collaboration with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) and Prevention is Key. Former Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina will serve as the master of ceremonies.

This initiative aims to engage high school students and educate them about the dangers of opioid misuse and the importance of maintaining physical and mental health. High school athletes are particularly vulnerable to opioid misuse, often due to injuries that require pain management.

“The opioid epidemic continues to take a devastating toll on New Jersey communities, and it’s essential that we engage with young people to address this crisis,” said Angelo Valente, Executive Director of PDFNJ. “Through education and powerful personal stories like that of Ray Lucas, we can provide students with the tools and information they need to make informed decisions and protect their futures.”

Lucas, a former standout quarterback at Rutgers who enjoyed an eight-year career in the NFL, will share insights from his battle with opioid misuse, which began following his professional playing days, and his journey to recovery. Lucas has spoken candidly about his struggles and focuses on empowering youth to make informed decisions about prescription medications.

In a recent 12-month survey by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 12 percent of male athletes and 8 percent of female athletes had used prescription opioids. A Monitoring the Future survey also found that adolescent participants in high-injury sports had 50 percent higher odds of nonmedical use of prescription opioids than adolescents who did not participate in these types of sports. According to NJ CARES, there were 1,766 suspected overdose deaths in 2024, and in Burlington County, there were 83 suspected drug-related deaths

Supported through grants by Horizon's philanthropic arm, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, the Knock Out Opioid Abuse initiative is now in its fifth phase. The initiative began with the Town Hall Series held for all 21 New Jersey counties in 2017 and 2018. The program expanded in 2019 and 2020 to include a prescriber education webinar, parent education through PDFNJ's 5th Grade Parent Alert, and community outreach via a statewide awareness public service campaign. The second phase also included community town halls, which were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and held as webinars in the spring and fall of 2020. The third and fourth phases of the partnership have focused on student-athletes and featured NJSIAA in a collaborative role. Lucas has served as the keynote speaker at 17 events throughout the state.

For more information, visit knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org

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Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey: 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 230 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.

About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state's oldest and largest health insurer is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health service corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, vision and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is leading the transformation of health care in New Jersey by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that reward the quality, not quantity, of care patients receive. Learn more at www.HorizonBlue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association serving more than 3.4 million members.

About The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey: The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey is committed to working alongside those who can help us improve our neighbors’ health, inform their health decisions and inspire them to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. The Foundation’s funding pillars are Caring, Connecting and Creating. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is the sole member of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, both of which are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, please visit www.Horizonblue.com/Foundation

About the NJSIAA: Established in 1918, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is a voluntary, non-profit organization comprised of 436 accredited public and non-public high schools. A member of the National Federation of State High School Associations, the NJSIAA conducts tournaments and crowns champions in 33 sports. Championship competition for girls is sponsored in basketball, bowling, cross country, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, outdoor track, winter track, volleyball, and wrestling. Boys’ championships are determined in baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, fencing, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, outdoor track, winter track, volleyball, and wrestling.