New Jersey Communities to Mark Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day on October 6

Millburn, NJ, Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Communities across New Jersey will share information about opioid risks and prevention on Tuesday, October 6, as part of the 11^th annual Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day. Organized by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ), this year’s observance will also highlight opioid safety and safer pain management for older adults.

New Jersey recorded 1,312 suspected drug overdose deaths in 2025, a 27 percent decrease from 2024, according to data from the New Jersey Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner. The report cited 365 suspected overdose deaths among residents age 55 and older. Nationally, 36 percent of adults age 65 and older experience chronic pain, and approximately 12.8 percent fill at least one outpatient opioid prescription annually.

“The decline in overdose deaths is encouraging, but families still need reliable information about opioid risks,” said Angelo M. Valente, executive director of PDFNJ. “Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day gives people across New Jersey a way to share that information, whether they are talking with young people, supporting an older family member or reaching out to neighbors.”

Events throughout the state will bring that effort into local communities. In Union City, eighth-grade students from St. Francis Academy will accompany Congressman Rob Menendez along Bergenline Ave. The Congressman and students will distribute flyers in English and Spanish to shoppers and store owners with information on helping protect children and families from opioid use disorder.

Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day aims to increase understanding of the opioid crisis through a statewide effort to educate physicians and raise awareness of the risks of prescription opioids among residents and families. This year’s educational resources include information from PDFNJ’s Healthy Aging Campaign and a video for older adults and their families about opioid risks and safer pain management strategies.

Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day is a project of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, in cooperation with the Governor’s Council on Substance Use Disorder and the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, with help from thousands of people from across the state. The New Jersey Senate and General Assembly have unanimously approved joint legislation permanently designating October 6 as Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day in New Jersey. 

Individuals and organizations can participate in Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day by distributing educational materials, setting up information tables at community events, sharing prevention messages through newsletters and social media, or sharing information on the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series. Additional KOOAD information can be found at KnockOutDay.DrugFreeNJ.org. Visit NJHealthyAging.org to access resources and information on opioid safety while aging.

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Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication.  To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 233 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.

Lisa Batitto
Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey
973-467-2100
news@drugfreenj.org