The annual Overdose And Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Day is slated for Tuesday, August 31, at 10 a.m, at the Morris County Department of Human Services, One Medical Drive in Morris Plains.
The event is sponsored by the Morris County Board Of Commissioners, the Morris County Municipal Alliances, The Global Recovery Movement and Rooting For Recovery.
It is in memoriam of all of the lost loved ones of Morris County that have died from drug overdoses and fentanyl poisoning, their grieving loved ones and serves as motivation to continue the fight to end the National Fentanyl Poisoning Crisis and Addiction Crisis.
This year's focus will be on the fentanyl poisoning and drug epidemic awareness campaign deployed by The Global Recovery Movement.
The growing number of teens and young adults dying from fake pills and illicit drugs tainted with fentanyl also includes candy, like the popular gummy bears.
These have become easily obtainable via social media, including Snapchat. It’s as easy to have them delivered right to their doors as a pizza, and it’s every parent’s worst nightmare as they discover their children dead in their bedrooms.
“As a former Chair of the Morristown and Morris Township Municipal Alliance, I am grateful to Senator Bucco, Sheriff Gannon and the Morris County Municipal Alliances for observing this special day and helping to fight the overdose and fentanyl poisonings," Carol Egan, founder of The Global Recovery Movement, said.
"Now, 85% of the deaths are from fentanyl poison. With fentanyl taking the lead in killing our youth, the time is now to get out there and raise awareness to stop this epidemic before school starts. Please warn your children and grandchildren not to take any pills or candy from anyone. They could be laced with fentanyl and 2mm can kill an adult. Our entire illicit drug supply is laced and lethal."
To date, more than 60 Morris County residents have died within the first half of 2021
- 85 percent were poisoned by fentanyl
- 15 percent have died from drug overdoses
- 93,000 have died in the U.S. in 2020 (a 30 percent increase from 2019)
- More than 110,000 are estimated to die by the end of 2021
“Everyone knows families of loss. It is time we support them and show them we care. This is a man-made epidemic and not their fault or their children's fault," Egan said.
"By letting grieving loved ones know we support them, we are helping to reduce the shame and eliminate the stigma surrounding deaths by fentanyl poisoning and the drug epidemic."