KNOCK OUT OPIOID ABUSE DAY

October 6th is New Jersey's Knockout Opioid Abuse Day. Please remember to keep your medications safe and locked away from anyone who isn't a prescribed user, and to properly dispose of any expired and/or old medications in your house. Every Police Department in Cape May County has an Rx drop off box located in their buildings which are available 24/7 365 days a year. Below are some stats just from our State alone:

--There were 2,564 suspected drug overdose deaths in New Jersey in 2023.

--New Jersey emergency medical services and law enforcement administered naloxone 12,944 times during 2023.

--A 2016 Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) study found that nearly one in three parents of New Jersey middle school students do not believe there is a link between painkillers prescribed for things like sports injuries and wisdom tooth removal and the rising use of heroin in New Jersey. The study also found that less than 50 percent of parents of New Jersey Middle School students feel they are knowledgeable about heroin.

--Between January 1 and June 30, 2024, there were 1010 suspected drug-related deaths.

--Between January 1 and June 20, 2024, there were 1,514,075 opioid prescriptions dispensed.

--Between January 1 and June 20, 2024, there were 5,492 Naloxone administrations

This is why our City Counsel has adopted Resolution 156 (2024) to help raise awareness, and, to give information about how we can help in this fight.

Working together, we can stop this needless loss of life in our community.