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Guest Blog: Operation Helping Hand
The ongoing pandemic continues to have a profound impact on those affected by substance use disorder. In 2020, more than 2,300 people in New Jersey died of a drug overdose through September, a majority of which involved some form of opioid.
Attorney General Gubir Grewal and the Office of the Attorney General have continued to support and collaborate with the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) on a number of efforts to address the opioid crisis effecting our state, including our Law Enforcement Conference, Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day, and participation in other PDFNJ/Horizon Knock Out Opioid Abuse Initiatives.
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Opioid Drug Use Is On The Rise In New Jersey
Last week, New Jersey’s Department of Human Services released its annual list of heroin abuse cases reported by each community in the state. These reported numbers indicate that the opioid and heroin crisis continues to rage on and the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating the problem. As the list makes apparent, the opioid epidemic is impacting urban, suburban and rural communities throughout New Jersey.
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Consulting Firm McKinsey & Company Suggested Purdue Pharma Pay Rebates for Overdoses
Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, recently agreed to plead guilty to felony charges for illegally incentivizing doctors to prescribe more opioid-based pain relievers to patients, even though the company was aware how highly addictive these medicines are.
It recently came to light in an New York Times article that the consulting firm McKinsey & Company advised members of the Sackler family, the owners of Purdue Pharma, on several ways to increase sales of OxyContin. One way included considering giving the company’s distributors a rebate for every overdose attributed to the pills they sold.
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An Inspiring Story on Inauguration Day
While all of our eyes may be focused on today’s Inauguration taking place in our nation’s capital, I wanted to take a moment to share an inspiring story of a newly elected Washington state legislator.
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Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs Music Competition Is Underway
In this week’s blog we hear from two past winners; Shannon Harrington, this 2020 first-place winner from Barnegat High School, and Dan Burdman, one of the winners in 2006. They each share their insights and explain how students can benefit from taking part in the competition.
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Families Anonymous for the Family Disease
All of us at the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey hope that you had a safe and happy holiday.
This week’s guest blogger, Jeff Schultz, is sharing his experience with Family Anonymous (FA), a support organization open to all family members and friends of those with drug, alcohol or related behavioral issues.
Jeff’s journey to help those with loved ones in recovery began in 2011 when his son entered an addiction treatment center. His story on the parallel roads of recovery for a parent and their child, "Lost and Found," can be found at PersonalJourneys.AJC.com/lost-found.
I also wanted to remind you that PDFNJ’s workplace prevention program, Drugs Don’t Work in NJ will be holding its free annual members’ webinar at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 12. The webinar will examine the recently passed referendum legalizing the use of recreational marijuana in the state and how it will affect the workplace. Click here to register and learn more.
Continued wishes to stay safe and well.
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Happy New Year!
All of us at the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey want to wish you a safe, healthy and peaceful New Year. All the best for 2021.
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Happy Holidays!
The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) is challenging all New Jersey high school students to enter the Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs New Jersey music and song writing competition.
PDFNJ has rebranded New Jersey Shout Down Drugs, which began in 2005, as Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs New Jersey. The new name fully encompasses what the competition is about – challenging teens to deliver peer-to-peer original music, songs and lyrics in their original style, whether it be rap, hip-hop or any other genre.
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Guest Blog: Rutgers Effort to Address the Opioid Crisis in NJ
This week’s guest blogger, Muzdalifa Syed of Rutgers University, is sharing some information with us about the Rutgers Interdisciplinary Opioid Trainers (RIOT) Program, which aims to reduce the stigma associated with opioid use disorder and educate people about medication-assisted treatment in the fight against the opioid crisis.
The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) recently held a webinar presentation in collaboration with Rutgers on the RIOT Program as part of the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series. To view that presentation, please click here.
All the best,
Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of PDFNJ -
Guest Blog: Handle With Care Initiative
In October, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal issued a statewide directive requiring all police departments to implement the Handle With Care Program in an effort to address Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma that New Jersey school-aged children may experience.
This week’s guest blogger, Christopher A. Jakim, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the New Jersey Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, shares some information about the Handle With Care New Jersey Initiative and how this program will help children who struggle with ACEs.