For Immediate Release:

August 13, 2012

Hearing on opiate drug abuse to be in Manalapan

Task force holding session at library headquarters on Aug. 29

MANALAPAN, NJ – The Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Task Force on Heroin and Other Opiate Use by New Jersey’s Youth and Young Adults will hold a third public hearing at 10 a.m. Aug. 29 at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, Symmes Drive.

The Task Force expects to hear testimony from Drs. Lisa Marsch and Louis Baxter, leading authorities on the treatment of adolescent and young adult opiate addiction and medication-assisted addiction treatment, respectively. The Task Force also expects to consider testimony from Randy Grimes, former lineman with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who will discuss sports injuries and his addiction to prescription painkillers.

The Task Force will also hear testimony from impacted family members and young persons in recovery from heroin/prescription painkiller addiction. 

In 2011, there were 7,338 admissions of Monmouth County residents into New Jersey alcohol/drug treatment facilities, the highest of any county in the state. In 41 percent of those admissions (3,015), the primary drug being used was heroin or other opiate (oxycodone, morphine, codeine, etc).

“Many Monmouth County families are impacted each day by heroin and other opiate drugs,” said Barry W. Johnson, director of the county’s Office of Addiction Services. “We encourage Monmouth County residents to testify at the public hearing about their experiences with these powerful and dangerous drugs.” 

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