PDFNJ campaign emphasizes the hazards of prescription opioids

Reviewed by James Ives, M.Psych. (Editor)Jul 8 2019

A powerful new message in Times Square from the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey emphasizes the dangers of prescription opioids.

The video billboard, created by Concepts Video Productions of Towaco, N.J., will be featured in Times Square and on mass transit. The campaign features a man trapped in a prescription bottle with the headline: "In just 5 days, opioid dependency can begin."

This message illustrates just how quickly a person can become dependent on opioids. It is crucial that everyone become aware of the dangers of prescription opioids and that they be armed with this knowledge prior to being prescribed opioids for pain. Talk to your prescriber about these risks and ask about alternative to opioids."

Angelo Valente, PDFNJ Executive Director

"Each year we select a pro-bono project that will impact the world. The opioid epidemic and drug abuse have impacted America in a profound way," said Collette Liantonio, Creative Director at Concepts Video.

The opioid epidemic claimed more than 47,000 lives in the United States in 2017, and initial estimates for 2018 indicate an even higher number of overdose deaths. Recent research has found that nearly 80 percent of people who use heroin had reported using prescription opioids prior to using heroin.

"We hope this highly visible effort will make an important difference in the fight against opioid and drug abuse," Concepts Executive Vice President Jon Calderaro said.

The new ads appear on the digital billboards at 11 Times Square at 42^nd Street and 8^th Avenue, reaching New Jersey residents commuting to the nearby Port Authority Bus Terminal, as well as New Yorkers and other visitors to the New York City landmark. The advertising space was coordinated by Elaine Pozycki, co-chair of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.