SAFE Coalition: On Prescription Awareness

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is addressing the opioid epidemic through its " Rx Awareness Campaign" that tells the real stories of people whose lives were torn apart by prescription opioids. CDC’s Rx Awareness campaign focuses on adults ages 25–54 who have taken opioids at least once for medical or nonmedical use.

The goal of the campaign is to increase awareness that prescription opioids can be addictive and dangerous. The campaign also strives to decrease the number of individuals who use opioids recreationally or overuse them. Additionally, the Campaign seeks to Increase the number of individuals who avoid using opioids non-medically (recreationally) or who choose options other than opioids for safe and effective pain management.

According to the CDC, nearly half of all U.S. opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids have tripled since 1999, and so have sales of these prescription drugs. From 1999 to 2015, more than 183,000 people have died in the U.S. from overdoses related to prescription opioids, with more than 15,000 prescription opioid overdose deaths in 2015.

Based on past success with using testimonials to effectively communicate about complex and sensitive health behaviors, CDC incorporated first-person stories into its public campaign to educate and raise awareness about the dangers of prescription opioid use and abuse. CDC developed a series of videos and television ads as the cornerstone of the campaign, featuring individuals living in recovery or recovering from opioid use disorder, as well as family members who have lost someone to prescription opioid overdose. The testimonials provide compelling real-life accounts to help make others aware of the risks and dangers of prescription opioids.

Take Action and Help

Whether you are a healthcare provider, first responder, law enforcement officer, public health official, or community member, the opioid epidemic is likely affecting you and your community. No matter who you are, you can take action to end the opioid overdose epidemic ravaging the United States. We all have a role to play on the frontlines of this fight—it starts with addressing prescription opioid misuse, abuse, and overdose.

• Learn more about prescription opioids so you can help those at risk for opioid use disorder and overdose in your community.
• Help those struggling with addiction find the right care and treatment. Anyone who takes prescription opioids can become addicted and help is available if you or someone you know is battling opioid use disorder.
• Spread the word and increase awareness in your community about the risk and dangers of prescription opioids.

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition is conducting a opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE" to educate and update the community regarding the risks opioid use and its consequences. For more information about the CDC's Rx Awareness campaign, please visit www.cdc.gov/rxawareness. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition visit SAFE at www.safeglencove.org, or follow us on: www.facebook.com/safeglencovecoalition.