WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls it an epidemic. Now radio and TV stations are joining a national effort to combat opioid addiction.
After speaking to a room of lawmakers and broadcast executives on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids CEO Marcia Lee Taylor said she is eager to reach parents.
“Most parents, when they realize there’s a problem, it has been going on for two years on average,” Taylor said of teen addiction.
The National Partnership for Drug Free Kids has free resources available for parents who don’t know where to turn for help including its website and a hotline for families dealing with addiction, 1-855-DRUG FREE.
But as opioid overdoses continue to rise across the country, more education and awareness is needed, Taylor said.
On Capitol Hill Tuesday, the National Partnership for Drug Free Kids announced a partnership with the National Association of Broadcasters and its members who pledged to air public service ads.
“When I was a kid, which was a long time ago, we were worried about gateway drugs … Today, the gateway is a dentist’s office or a broken leg or another injury that could cause serious pain,” said Ginny Morris, CEO of Hubbard Radio, which owns WTOP.
Stations can roll out the PSAs on their own timetables. The NAB said the last PSA campaign resulted in $100 million a year in advertising value. The commitment to this campaign is 18 months.
“As broadcasters, if we can illuminate the dangers and perils of how it can really lead to life-altering, tragic circumstances, then we are happy to do it,” Morris said.
Watch a PSA from Drug-Free Kids:
