November 2023 • Volume XXXIV

January - August 31, 2023

Suspected Overdose Deaths: 8

Naloxone Administrations: 41

Opioid Prescriptions: 24,051

Source: NJ office of Attorney General (NJCARES)

Member Spotlight: Amy Hicks

This month we spotlight Amy Hicks who represents the Recovery sector. Amy's work at the Open Door Recovery Center provides the Drug-Free Task Force with a better understanding on how to support the community in recovery. Click this link to learn more about Amy!

Get strategies and support needed to quit smoking or vaping. Visit the

American Cancer Society website to learn more about the Great American Smokeout!

Click here to read an important message from

DEA Administrator, Anne Milgram

Binge drinking adults, what do your kids see?

As we enter the holiday season it's easy to get carried away in celebration, but including children at functions where excessive drinking is involved can be a detriment to their perception of harm as they move through adolescence. "Adolescents whose parents binge drink had a four times greater chance of drinking alcohol themselves compared to adolescents whose parents did not binge drink said senior study author Marissa Esser, the lead of the alcohol program at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention." Click on this link to read more about this topic.

Vape liquid exposure on the rise

Kids are drawn to bright colors and sweet scents and don't always have the knowledge of what might be hazardous to their health. All the more reason to lock up liquid nicotine! "As of August 2023, the NJ Poison control Center’s specialists have assisted in the medical treatment of 86 children total (up to age 19) — 79 of the cases involved children 5 years old and younger. Total cases doubled from 42 children in 2021 to 84 children in 2022." Needless to say, safe storage is key. Read more about this topic here.

NJs Safe Use Campaign

New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) is promoting their Safe-Use Campaign whose primary goal is to provide the public with information and resources on how to make educated choices on cannabis consumption.

“The CREAMM Act, the legislation that paved the way for legal cannabis use in New Jersey, stipulates that the commission provide information for safe and responsible consumption as well as programs and campaigns to deter youth consumption, said Jeff Brown, executive director of the CRC". Click on this link to see what else the CRC is doing about safe use.