Millburn, NJ, Aug. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Knock Out Opioid Abuse program, featuring former NFL quarterback Ray Lucas, is back, bringing crucial education on the risks of prescription opioids to high school student-athletes across the state. This initiative, organized by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, in collaboration with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), kicks off its schedule of events for the new school year after a successful launch at Don Bosco Prep in May.
"High school athletes are especially at risk for opioid misuse due to sports injuries," said Angelo Valente, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. "We want to equip students with the knowledge to make safe, informed choices about their health."
Ray Lucas, a New Jersey native and former Rutgers quarterback who played in the NFL for eight years, headlines the program. He shares his personal battle with opioid misuse and his journey to recovery, offering a powerful and relatable message to student-athletes.
“Horizon and the Partnership are proud to continue our ongoing work to bring these important and educational town halls to more high schools across the state,” Jonathan R. Pearson, Executive Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, at Horizon BCSNJ. “Through the powerful voice of Ray Lucas and the broad reach of the NJSIAA, we will continue to raise awareness of opioid misuse at New Jersey school settings where they learn, play sports and socialize.”
The next event will be held August 20 at Jefferson Township High School. The series will continue in the fall on October 10 at Sussex County Technical School and October 24 at Red Bank Regional High School.
Student-athletes have a higher risk of opioid use, often due to injuries requiring medical attention. 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 has 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 2,564 suspected overdose deaths in 2023.
Supported through grants by Horizon’s philanthropic arm, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, the Knock Out Opioid Abuse initiative is now in its fourth 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, as well as 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 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and held as webinars in the spring and fall of 2020.
The third phase of the partnership focused on student-athletes and featured NJSIAA in a collaborative role. Lucas served as the keynote speaker at 10 events throughout the state, which were attended by thousands of high school athletes.
For more information, please visit https://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 226 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.
