[Federal program partners with Facebook to fight opioid addiction]

Sunburn, Florida Politics, 12/13/2019



Florida is on the front lines of the opioid epidemic. In Pinellas County alone, someone dies from an opioid overdose every 37 hours.

Stop Opioid Silence aims to break the stigma of an opioid use disorder, so more people struggling with addiction seek help. The plan: give those grappling with the affliction, as well as their families, the opportunity to share their stories of addiction and recovery.

They have some backup — six members of Florida’s congressional delegation are on board, as is Facebook, which launched the program in conjunction with Partnership for Drug-Free Kids + Center on Addiction.

“The stigma associated with opioid addiction prevents far too many families from speaking out and joining the fight against this public health crisis,” U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy said.

“It is past time we bring awareness to the devastating effects of opioid abuse and give those battling this addiction the resources they need to recover. We have the power to stop this growing epidemic, and it begins by sharing our stories so that we can help save more lives.”

Facebook plans to spread the word by running ads to encourage people to speak out about the crisis.

Those ads, which feature the bipartisan group of lawmakers, direct people to information and resources.

In addition to Murphy, U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Charlie Crist, Ted Deutch, Brian Mast and Daniel Webster are joining the effort.

Why now? According to the Center on Addiction + Partnership for Drug-Free Kids EVP Marcia Lee Taylor, the holiday season can be particularly difficult for individuals and families affected by addiction.