The state of New Jersey is currently taking steps to further educate student athletes on potential opioid use and the dangers of addiction. Point Pleasant Borough high school students participating in sports during the 2019-2020 season are now required to watch a video by New Jersey Coordinator for Addiction Responses and Enforcement Strategies (NJ CARES) and the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). This addition will inform student athletes about the dangers of painkillers and the hazardous possibilities behind them.  

Student athletes don’t wake up in the morning and decide to be addicts. The video explains how it starts with something as simple as an injury. When the athletes take prescribed painkillers for injuries their addictive properties can lead to athletes unintentionally becoming hooked and unable to battle the desire to do more. 4 out of 5 heroin users started out with misusing prescribed painkillers.  New Jersey wants students to have a clear idea of what can lie ahead when messing with painkillers and other opioids. 

Point Boro’s Athletic Director, Mr. Ferrone,  has Point Boro’s student athletes under control. He made good points on how Boro is taking steps on educating their athletes on the dangers of opioids, like having them watch the video and sign papers. Mr. Ferrone stated, “The major issue to me, is not necessarily when they are in high school, because we are not seeing this big blow up of students addicted to pain medications or heroin here. The problem can start when they are young and obviously as they get older when they become addicted, issues will come about. The whole point of this is to educate everybody when they are in high school so they don’t face those issues in the real world.”

Drug addictions are a big deal that has the potential to ruin and even end lives.  The importance of drug and addition education should not be overlooked as educating students early has a huge impact that will be beneficial in the long run.