Tag: Drug Abuse

Posted on

Addressing Drug Abuse: A Guide for Parents

pexels zen chung 5529586 scaled

Raising children can be a joyous and rewarding experience, but it can also come with unique challenges. One of the most pressing issues parents face today is navigating how to address drug abuse, whether it is for themselves, their friends, or even their children. With opioid use on the rise in recent years, teens are at an especially high risk of experimenting with or becoming addicted to drugs, making it imperative that parents stay well-informed about drug prevention and awareness efforts. In this guide for parents, we’ll discuss signs and symptoms of drug abuse as well as provide insights into effective ways of addressing the issue head-on. 

Continue reading Addressing Drug Abuse: A Guide for Parents

Posted on

New Jersey State Attorney General Proposes new rules to minimize the potential for conflicts of interest between prescribers and pharmaceutical manufacturers

prescription-drugs

October 11,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

NEWARK NJ, The Attorney General is proposing new rules concerning limitations on and obligations associated with the acceptance of compensation from pharmaceutical manufacturers. The public may submit written comments to this proposal through December 1, 2017.

The proposed rules establish principled standards to minimize the potential for conflicts of interest between prescribers and pharmaceutical manufacturers to ensure that patient care is guided by the unbiased, best judgment of the treating prescriber.

The proposed rules strengthen and clarify existing limitations for licensees of the Boards of Medical Examiners, Dentistry and Optometry, and extends those standards to Advanced Practice Nurses, the only Board of Nursing licensees with prescribing authority.

In connection with this notice of proposal, the Attorney General will hold a public hearing to take testimony from interested parties to gather facts to inform the proposed rulemaking and to afford ample opportunity for the receipt of public comment from the regulated communities, industry representatives, and the public at large.

The public hearing will be held on Thursday, October 19, 2017.

Posted on

BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE RELEASES REPORT ON HEROIN AND OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN BERGEN COUNTY

heroin_theridgewoodblog
March 11,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal today released a report entitled “Report on the Heroin and Opioid Epidemic in Bergen County.” The report is a year-end report that highlights the effect that the heroin and opioid crisis had on Bergen County in 2016. A copy of the report can be downloaded at https://www.bcpo.net/images/pdf/2016-Report-on-Heroin-Epidemic.pdf .

As detailed in the report, there was an increase in 2016 in total reported overdoses in Bergen County, with 308 overdoses. This represents a 6.9% increase from 2015, during which there were 288 total reported overdoses. As in 2015, however, the majority of the overdoses in 2016 were heroin and opioid related. Despite the increase in total overdoses, however, the number of overdose fatalities remained the same in 2016 with 87 overdose deaths. The fact that overdose deaths remained constant is due in large part to the tireless efforts of County law enforcement officers, who deployed Narcan, the overdose reversal drug, on 207 occasions in 2016, resulting in 180 saved lives. This represents a 10.7% increase in Narcan deployments from 2015.

As it did in 2016, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office (“BCPO”) is sharing current County overdose and Narcan Save data, as well as mapping the epidemic in the County, using social media. The public is encouraged to follow the BCPO’s efforts on Twitter (@BCPONJ) or on Facebook (fb.com/bcponj). The BCPO is also asking the public to share their own experiences and suggestions concerning this issue by using the hashtag #StopTheODs

“The goal of this report, like our social media campaign, #StopTheODs, is to destigmatize the heroin and opioid epidemic by showing that it affects every pocket of the County.” stated Prosecutor Grewal. “By doing so, we hope to encourage parents, children, educators and others to use this information to do their part to help prevent the next overdose,” said Grewal. “In the end, however, education is the key; if we can steer children and adults from the known pathways to heroin and opioid addiction, we can stem this rising epidemic.”

Prosecutor Grewal thanked Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco, III, and Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino for their partnership and support of the BCPO’s efforts to combat the County’s heroin and opioid epidemic.

Posted on

REALITY CHECK: THE NEW SOCIAL NORMS AT RIDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

Involved-Fathers-Reduce-Kids-Risk-of-Smoking-2

February 10,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Join us on Monday, February 13th for REALITY CHECK: THE NEW SOCIAL NORMS AT RIDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL Presented by Dr. Tim Silvestri Dr. Tim Silvestri, Professor of Social Science at Lafayette University, will address the results of last year’s social norms survey at RHS and the topic of teenage stress with the goal of helping high school and middle school parents better understand the reality of their students’ experiences while giving them tools on how to approach discussion of these topics at home.

Coffee and dessert will be served. https://www.ridgewoodmunicipalalliance.org/ Funding for this program from the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (GCADA)

February 13 2017 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Location RHS Campus Center