BOSTON — Massachusetts is launching a public awareness campaign aimed at educating parents about the warning signs of opioid abuse.
Gov. Charlie Baker says the campaign begins Wednesday and will run throughout the summer on television and online. The state has also launched a new website: www.mass.gov/StopAddiction.
Baker says education is critical to fighting a surge in overdoses that claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people in the state last year.
One of the ads features Janis McGrory, of Harwich, who lost her daughter Liz at age 23 to a heroin overdose. Another ad warns that the abuse of prescription painkillers can lead to heroin addiction and overdoses.
“People deserve to understand the dangers of prescription drugs and how easy it is for children to become addicted,” said McGrory, whose other daughter Amy also participated in the ad. “Our Liz mattered. She was a wonderful daughter and sister. Removing the stigma of addiction, education and treatment of the disease is critical.”
A third, Spanish-language ad echoes the same message.
The $800,000 campaign was funded through a federal grant.
“Education is an essential part of the cure for this epidemic, starting with parents and their children who are the most susceptible to not understanding the dangers associated with the misuse of prescription painkillers,” said Baker. “This campaign is about keeping our children safe from the grip of opioid addiction by working to prevent drug use before it begins.”
“If you think it can’t be your kid, think again,” said Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (HHS) Marylou Sudders, who also chairs the Governor’s Opioid Working Group. “With this messaging, we are impressing on parents that the road to heroin could start with what is left in our own homes and medicine cabinets.”
Governor Baker named a Opioid Working Group in February to hold public listening sessions and develop strategic recommendations for the Commonwealth’s response to the opioid epidemic. Over 1,200 individuals attended four hearings across the state to share their stories with the working group.
“We repeatedly heard from parents during the Working Group listening sessions and in focus groups that they wanted the facts. They wanted to know the harsh realities of opioid misuse and addiction and how they can spot the warning signs that their child may be in danger,” said Dr. Monica Bharel, Commissioner of the Department of Public Health. “The website provides straight-forward details along with personal stories from parents who have dealt first-hand with this tragedy.”
The 2013 Youth Health Survey demonstrated an increased risk of prescription drug use amongst teens in the Commonwealth. Four percent of middle school students and 13% of high school students reported that they had taken a prescription drug that was not their own.
