Alyssa Royce

Professor Michael Rodriguez

GEN 1033: The Life of the Mind

11 November 2016

Blog Post Number Two: Knock Out Opiates

Knock Out Opiates was an event hosted by R.I.S.E. A.B.O.V.E, a student-run organization here at Stockton that promotes healthy decision making among students. This event was both a dialogue session and a voluntary opportunity for students, specifically, because we discussed opiate use in our community while also taking action. To date, heroin accounts for ninety percent of opiate use in the United States. In terms of Stockton University and its surrounding cities and communities, heroin use is at an all time high with hundreds of arrests and overdoses each year. In addition to heroin usage, prescription drug use is also a prevalent issue within this community and within the United States as a whole. Of course, there are several ways to become addicted to prescription drugs; but, a large number of cases derive from injury or illness for which prescription drugs are issued. I, along with other R.I.S.E. A.B.O.V.E students, went to the neighboring apartment complex, where many Stockton students reside, and hung flyers that draw attention to the issue of prescription drug use and urged these individuals to talk to their doctors about the dangers of these drugs before deciding to take them. One flyer, for instance, reads “Would you give your child heroin for a broken arm?” The point here is to indicate that prescription drugs are just as addictive and just as dangerous as heroin or other opiates that we may know and may view in a negative light. I know for me, personally, when I had my four wisdom teeth removed my surgeon recommended oxycontin; yet, I made the decision to take controlled amounts of ibuprofen instead because I have educated myself about the dangers of prescription drugs, which I encourage others to do as well. I am hopeful that my volunteerism has made an impact within the Stockton community and has allowed for a more open conversation about prescription drug use.