State kicks off campaign against opioid abuse

    Monday marked the launch of the DOSE OF REALITY public awareness campaign intended to alert Nebraskans to the dangers of misusing opioid pain medications.
    On hand for the campaign’s announcement were Governor Pete Ricketts, Attorney General Doug Peterson, U.S. Attorney Deb Gilg and UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey Gold.
    DOSE OF REALITY—Prevent Prescription Painkiller Abuse in Nebraska, is a statewide campaign designed to bring attention to the issue and encourage communities to take action.
    “Opioid abuse negatively impacts our kids, families and communities,” Gov. Ricketts said.  
    “Thanks to the work of the Attorney General and this coalition we are taking a proactive step today to prevent future abuse. Working together, we can keep this public health crisis from plaguing our state,” he said.
     DOSE OF REALITY is supported by the Nebraska Broadcaster Association (NBA) and the Nebraska Press Association (NPA), who have both committed to partner in spreading the message of prevention across the state.  
    Medical groups and governmental agencies are also backing the effort.
    “We are joining forces to work together in protecting Nebraskans from the harmful impacts of addiction and the ravages it can cause to families and futures,” expressed Attorney General Doug Peterson.
    “Nebraskans are not immune from this problem, we all need to work together and do something about it,” he said.
    The Attorney General’s office is spearheading the DOSE OF REALITY campaign with support from UNMC, DHHS and the US Attorney’s Office.
    All four agencies were hosts to a fall Nebraska Opioid Summit attended by 300 held in Omaha. The summit was the first step in the formation of a Summit Coalition that continues to work in the areas of prevention, law enforcement and treatment in addressing the state’s concerns.
     “Nebraska is in an enviable position of being proactive, rather than reactive, to the opioid problem,” Dr. Gold said.
    “By working together, we can avert a public health crisis through sharing information about the risks involved in misusing these medications,” he concluded.